Kirstin Phelps (KP): I learned of the Illinois Leadership Center (ILC) when I was an undergraduate on campus. I was a junior and attended one of the programs on team-building and communication. I also attended LeaderShape, which is offered in collaboration with the ILC. 

GF: What made you want to work for the center? 

KP: As a participate at LeaderShape, I was really intrigued and excited about the prospect and idea of leadership. The idea of leadership and how necessary and interdisciplinary it was really ignited my passion to learn more about the field. I ended up coming back to the University of Illinois for my master’s and one of the first things I did was discuss with my advisor how I could add leadership as a specialization to my grad studies and visit the ILC to ask about volunteering and work opportunities. I was hired on as a grad hourly while I completed my masters and after graduation I was hired full-time.  

GF: What services does the center provide to students? 

KP: The center provides a variety of leadership experiences for students. Our philosophy espouses the ideas that leadership is non-positional, that it is a process of mutual influence, requires a commitment to lifelong learning, and is concerned with the welfare of those in and outside of the group. How we teach this philosophy is through a skills-model that focuses on developing 11 skills and attributes of leadership gleaned from various leadership theories and models. Those skills and attributes encompass Self-Development, Interpersonal Development, Organizational/Group Development, and Transitional Development. Due to our philosophy and skills model all our services are provided on a first come-first serve basis to all students across campus. 

We provide “i-programs”-which are one to three day long leadership institutes that focus on specific skills from our model, a Certificate programs, a leadership resource library, employment opportunities through a professional internship program and student employee positions, as well as a consulting program for student organizations. We also have a variety of collaborations across campus to help different units and departments provide leadership development opportunities to students. 

GF: Do man students take advantage of the services?

KP: Though our i-programs, we serve approximately 1200 students. Our courses serve an additional 300; the Certificate program has ~ 350 participants; and we reached over 7,000 students last year through outreach events and our consulting program. We are still relatively new on campus (7 years old) so we are continuously thinking of ways to market and raise awareness of our services so even more students can take advantage of our programs. 

GF: How are student chosen for the I-Programs? 

KP: Since our programs are offered for all students on campus, there is no application process for our i-programs. If a student wishes to participate, they simply have to register for the program of their choice. Registration is on a first come-first serve basis. As a result, at our programs we have a rich diversity of students from across campus in terms of college of enrollment, demographics, leadership experiences, academic year, etc. This provides a great opportunity for students to learn from their peers who may have a different perspective . Currently, we provide 15 program sessions per year for the campus to meet student demand; however, we still turn away~ 21 students per program who were on the wait list. 

GF: How do the I-Programs work? Are their programs just for freshmen, sophomores, etc? 

KP: Currently, our programs are open to all academic levels of students from first-year student all the way up to PhD level. Developmentally, they were created with undergraduates in mind, but we do see many graduate and professional students participate as well.  

GF: What are the goals of the I-Programs?

KP: The specific objectives of each i-program differs depending on its skill focus. For example, our “Insight” i-programs focuses on the personal skills necessary for effective leadership — knowing your goals, values, strengths, etc. However, the overarching goal for all of the programs is to help develop leadership skills in students through education, experience, and critical reflection.

GF: How many students attend each of the I-Programs>

KP: The capacity for each program differs based on the type of environment we want to create. In general, though, we serve 1200 students yearly through multiple sessions of our programs. Each individual i-program holds between 60 and 200 students, depending on the particular program.

GF: How are students chosen for Illinois LeaderShape?  

KP: LeaderShpe is the only program offered through out office that requires an application. This is due to the fact each academic college helps fund students to attend LeaderShape. Funding is also available to registered student organizations through the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, If a student wishes to attend, he or student would fill out an application through their college dean’s office. Once the application is submitted, a committee of students and administrators selects the participants who will attend from each college.  

GF: How many students attend the campus based session? 

KP: Between 60-70 student attend the campus based session of LeaderShape each year. 

GF: How do you feel I-Programs and LeaderShape affect students? 

KP: As with any program, students get of the experience what they are willing to put in. I think this is the same for our programs. However, that being said, that way our programs are structured, even if a student is simply attending the program, the ability to learn his or her peers from across campus, to network with other students, and even to get an inkling of how leadership is envisioned on the campus is an important benefit. From a more quantitative standpoint, students complete comprehensive evaluations. The feedback from both of these assessments continues to be high in regards to the perceived impact and level of quality for the programs, both immediately afterwards and then in following up with each student three months later. In addition, students have reported through qualitative data that they have learned to expand their ideas of leadership and realize the importance of developing and practicing these skills.  

GF: Does the center collaborate with student government, student activities board, clubs, organizations, Greek life?  

KP: Yes, we do collaborate with various campus units in a variety of way. In regards to the audiences you’ve mentioned above, we have partnerships with Greek Affairs, the Registered Student Organizations office and help to provide advice for retreats, specialized workshops, and in the case of the Greek students, a yearly “Emerging Leaders’ conference. Through our consulting program, we also offer specialized hour-long workshops on a variety of leadership topics that student groups and organizations can request for us to facilitate for their group. 

It is also worth mentioning that our other collaboration across campus span both academic and student affairs services. We work with the cultural houses on campus as well as many honors programs; career development and Residential Life also have partnerships with out office. We would not be able to do what we do by being the only place on campus where leadership development occurs. However, we do try to act a resource to make sure that students develop these essential skills. 

GF: How many students are in the leadership minor? 

KP: We are currently in the process of creating a cross-disciplinary leadership minor open to all Illinois students, so at this time we do not have one offered for students to enroll in. We hope to enroll students in this minor within the next academic year. 

GF: What is your opinion of leadership education? 

KP: I think that in the field of leadership education is of utmost importance now given the state of our society and the changes that are occurring. Leadership is not something that should be practiced by just a select few, or those in leadership positions. To be successful everyone needs to be able to understand and develop leadership skills: understand their values, work effectively on a team, accomplish (and help others accomplish) group goals, navigate cross-cultural relationships, and understand aspects of power and privilege. These skills will only increase in importance in the future.  

GF: In your experiences have you ever encountered professionals who did not believe in leadership education? 

KP: I have met some professionals who did not think leadership could be taught, but in my experience this has come from possessing a traditional understanding of leadership as positional and related only to aspects of charisma or forcefulness. Many professionals still do not realize that leadership is a field of student that research is being done on the phenomena of leadership throughout the world. I think that constant education is necessary for all of us.  

Kristin Phelps is example of a professional working leadership and assisting students at the University of Illinois in their development.

I am sorry I have not posted anything in almost 2 months, I just started my master’s program and its very busy busy. But I hope to have some very interesting interviews.

Nathan Tallman (NT): ”Leadership, for me started before my entrance into Central Michigan University. Growing up, athletics played a strong influence in my life. I can vividly remember playing basketball on Saturday mornings and my father, instilling in me the value of leadership and the power in which it can possess. Serving as a leader in high school (Class President, local and state-wide committees/organizations and various athletic team captain-ships) leadership has always been something in which I have excelled in. From these experiences, I was able to earn a scholarship to attend Central Michigan University, based on my past performance and involvement. The Leadership Advancement Scholarship and other involvements, made me who I am today. 

Other areas in which I have had the ability to serve and show aspects of leadership include: Fraternity and Sorority Life (President of Sigma Alpha Epsilon-MIDO), Hall Council President, Orientation Mentor and Advisor, Minority Student Services (Summer Programs) and Leadership Developmen programs (Leadership Luncheon Series, Connections Leadership Conference, Alpha Leadership Experience, Leadership Safari, The Leadership Challenge and Central Michigan University’s LeaderShape Institute.

GF: How did you get involved with CMU’s LeaderShape?

NT: Being involved in LeaderShape was a natural progression for me. Being involved in other leadership development programs, LeaderShape was ‘kicking it up a notch’. Being intensely involved for 6 days of leadership developing and networking, this is what makes leaders great. After being a participate of LeaderShape, I was able to serve this past year as a Family Cluster Facilitator. Working with a group of participants, I was able to help them collaborate, share their thoughts of leadership and effectively come up with their personal vision.

[The Central Michigan University campus-based LeaderShape is held yearly at the Eagle Village in Hersey, Michigan.]

GF: How many students attend CMU’s LeaderShape?

NT: 45-50 students participate each year in the LeaderShape Institute.

GF: What results from students attending CMU’s LeaderShape Session?

NT: Students attending LeaderShape have had a positive impact on our campus. Although a lot of the visions have resulted in a focus on a more global level, several programs, and initiatives have been brought to campus to create a better and more inviting environment. The ones that come to mind is bringing another fraternity to our campus to focus on leadership and male development, developing and improving leadership programs and a change in the way in which students view each other as a more individualized , personal level, instead of prejudgements and perceptions.

The one criticism that I have with the program is the focus of the visions beings so large scale and world-changing. Although I can appreciate this and I encourage everyone to change the world in their own way, with this focus, it is hard for students to focus on changing the campus environment when they have to think as a global-whole.

GF: Has CMU’s culture changed due in part to student attending the campus based LeaderShape session? Are there any examples of students taking what they learned and making their “Day 7″ a reality?

NT: Day 7 is a developmental process for us. At Central Michigan University, we are working to make changes in this program to bring more validity to Day 7 and the conclusion of the visioning process and LeaderShape in general. Although this is the case, Day 7 has been slowly moving away from a social experience and reunion type environment, to more dialogue, which is nice.

GF: What are the goals of the CMU Leadership Institute?

NT: The Leadership Institute prepares the next generation of individuals who will act responsibly to improve the quality of lift, state of economy, and communities in which they live and work. The Leadership Institute serves as a coordinating body for the University’s leadership-related activities and programs. The Leadership Institute provides information and leadership development opportunities through workshops, seminars, academic courses, and experiential challenges. In there programs and outreaches, the Institute promotes the individual and group exploration of leadership theories and styles.

GF: In your opinion, what is the culture of CMU? Are students active on your campus, or do you see a very small, selective group of students getting involved in leadership opportunities?

NT: Although, a large percentage of students at CMU are involved, the students who hold the larger leadership positions seen to be the same from organization to organization. In addition to the students who are in-charge of the organizations/events, it is not uncommon for them to be in the same social group as the other student leaders on campus. I am assuming that this is similar from institution to institution. Students who participate in leadership development programs and are emerging leaders, tend to come from all areas on campus.

Residence Life focus’ on leadership and their development which is great and a large percentage of students who have a background in Res. Life (working the desk, Resident Assistants, Multicultural Assistants, Hall Council members, etc…) attend the programs at CMU that are geared towards leadership development.

GF: What have you learned since becoming a GA in the Leadership Institute?

NT: Professionalism is key. Since starting as a Graduate Assistant, I have learned to develop quicker and wiser than most. My first semester as a Graduate Assistant, I was completing my undergraduate course work (18 credit hours) and starting my masters program (3 credit hours); in addition to working 25 hours a week. It was extremely hard to balance and/or juggle. Although this was the case, I feel as though I grew up really quick.

It was amazing how many opportunities came my way in such a short period of time, after graduation with my B.S. in History in December 2007. One small, liberal-arts institution and another public institution both showed interest , but deciding to stay has been rewarding. Receiving my Masters in May will be worth the wait to move on to another institution, while gaining valuable experience in the process.

GF: What are your professional goals?

NT: Professionally, I feel as though there are two main aspects of high education: Academics and Student Services.  Being a top-level senior officer on either one of those levels would be extraordinary. Being a Provost or a Dean of Students/Vice President of Student Affairs would be ideal, although the trip to the top will be challenging but also rewarding.

GF: Do you have any advice to future students interested in your field?

NT: Two main principles have made me who I am today; Communication and Diversity. Communication is key in every situation. Communicating clear and concise messages, makes for better productivity and group morale. I have found that in situations in which I have not been as effective as I would have liked, it is due to a failed communication process. Although diversity can be viewed in several different lenses, diversity to me comes in all shapes and sizes. With this definition, I have tried to be involved with as many different experiences as possible; not as many experiences possible. Being over-committed is often the down-fall for many campus leaders. Being involved in different organizations with different views on issues will makes a leadera more well rounded character and participant in the university climate in which he/she is serving.

She posted make in May about the SGA of Northeastern University and some changes that occured.  I am always a fan of SGA’s around the country.  Check out her post “NU SGA changes, a band-aid on a broken bone.” 

Jessica also has a really cool post on SGA elections of many of the Boston area school in another post titled “Student Government.”

Featured universities and colleges include Boston College, Emerson College, Boston University, Northeastern University, Suffolk College, Harvard University, UMass-Boston, MIT, and Tufts University. 

Check out future blogs discussing SGA’s throughout the country!

Gavin Farber (GF): How did you get involved in Student Activities/Student Affairs?

Lauren Ibbotson (LI): I was a very involved student leader when I was at Rowan- President of the programming board, VP of my sorority, Orientation Leader, IMPACT Facilitator, SGA Senator, and employee of both the Dean of Student’s Office and Residence Life Office. At the time time I was a communications (Radio/TV/ Film) major and loved all of my classes, but when I got out into the “real world” I realized that television wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I thought about what I really loved doing and i kept ending back up at “being a student leader”. I had spent a year away from college after graduation, and was so excited to go back for grad school doing an assistantship with campus events!

GF: What is the culture of your campus?

LI: I currently work at Lafayette College, a small, highly selective, private, liberal arts institution in Easton, PA. We have approximately 2300 students, representing all regions of the US and over 35 countries. Our students are all very bright and highly motivated. They work hard at whatever it is they are doing: school, work, extra-curricular activities, or just having fun. All students graduate in 4 years, so there is a definite connection to their class. The people that they start Orientation with are the same students they will graduate with! Lafayette is also highly steeped in traditions. Many of the activities that will come out of my office are traditions that have been occurring for many years or even new traditions just started in the three years I have been here.

GF: What motivates students at your institution to get involved?

LI: As I already mentioned, Lafayette students are highly self-motivated. They want to succeed in everything they do, so they don’t need much prodding from me to get involved. I don’t think I’ve met a Lafayette student yet who hasn’t been involved in at least one organization…and that’s rare- many of the students I am closest with are involved in three, four, maybe even five organizations! My job is less about motivating students to be involved and more about advising those students how to set priorities and lead a balanced life.

GF: What are the most popular programs on your campus?

LI: We have many programs that I would consider very popular. Like I mentioned, we have many traditions, both new and old. One of our newest traditions is the annual Presidential Ball. Three years ago (my first year on campus) the college got a new president. The programming board (Lafayette Activities Forum…or LAF for short) was charged with coming up with an event that would get students engaged in the Inaugural Celebration. We had full support from the trustees and was basically handed a blank check to run the event. LAF decided to throw an Inaugural Ball , open to the entire campus- students, faculty, staff, and administrators. It was a huge success… so much so that we have been asked to throw it every year since, only changing it to the Presidential Ball. The students love it, because it is a chance to get dressed up, eat amazing food, rub elbows with the trustees, and even do a little swing dancing (we have an amazing band that comes every year!) That’s just one example of a popular program…but there are so many more that I could write about!!! Class events like the senior’s 100 Nights celebration and the first year’s 1,000 Nights celebrations always draw huge numbers. Our comedians pack the house. And if you want to participate in Stuff-A-Bear, you better get on line at least an house before the event is scheduled to start! In all, I would say that I am pretty lucky to work on a campus that loves being involved!!!

GF: What are some programs that were not as successful?

LI: This question is much harder to answer then the last one. One of the advantages of a small school is that we have much further reach- on a big campus, you can work really hard and throw a great event, but even though there are more students on campus you get low attendance because at a big school it’s easy to miss what’s going on. That doesn’t happen at a small school like Lafayette. Even our ‘worst’ events get 50-100 people at them. So, if you define your success only on attendance, then we haven’t really had any unsuccessful events.

But if you define success more broadly, then I could find things to say. I think that what boils down to is looking at the event at the end and saying “Is that the best it could have been? What could we do differently next time?” The most successful events are the ones where students walk away saying “That was amazing, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” Not every event is like that and I challenge my students to try and identify how they can make it better next time—or using Lafayette link, “how can we make this a positive tradition?”

I think I’ve skirted the original question, so I’ll got back to that. The event that we received the most criticism about was the Grand Opening of our new campus nightclub, The Spot (I know, it’s named the same thing as a bar in Glassboro, but I swear, I had nothing to do with the name. But it fits… get it, leopards have spots!!!).

Anyway, we had some difficulty with the fire marshal and found out only days before the opening that capacity was half of what we thought it would be. We really didn’t know what to expect in terms of student attendance so we didn’t change our plans drastically. Well, within 15 minutes of the doors opening, we had 400 people waiting outside to get in and we had reached capacity inside. That’s what I meant by numbers not necessarily equaling success!

GF: What is your advice to other programmers at other unversities?

LI: Know your students. I’ve been amazed at how many great event ideas I thought I had (based on some of my experiences at Rowan) that when I suggest them to students they look at me like I am crazy. Similarly, there are events we have done here that I have thought ‘wow, that would not work at all at Rowan!’

So don’t be afraid to get out there and find out what the general student population wants to see. You’ll see your attendance go up if students feel like they have had some input in bringing the event.

GF: Does your university network with other universities for collaborative activities?

LI: Yes, and I was so impressed by this when I started at Lafayette! We are part of an organization called LVAIC- Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges. There are six private college all within 20 minutes of one another Lafayette, Lehigh, Moravian, Muhlenburg, Cedar Crest & DeSales (plus two community colleges.)

LVAIC is an organization that brings us all together and hosts individual meetings for all sorts of departments. At least once a semester, all of the activities people from all six schools get together to compare notes, try to block events to save money, and talk about events we can do together. For the last few years, we have simultaneously run trips to Dorney Park, which is right now the road. We give all the students from all the schools the same t-shirt so if they want, they can wear them and be able to identify students from the other schools and meet new people!

GF: Are there good relations between organizations on campus (ie: Student Government and the Student Programming Board?) Are there good relations with the student populations internally (Student Programming Board) and externally (other students?)

LI: I combined there two questions together, because they have basically the same answer- Yes! Because we are such a small school, everyone knows one another and is wearing multiple hats at any given time. We are a community of leaders, and they all respect each other as such. While I think there is always room to improve in the area of those improvement are often accomplished by sitting down to chat, rather then having a huge marketing campaign.

Lauren Ibbotson, is proving you can go from student leader to higher education administrator. She went after her passions and look at her today, working in an environment where she has the opportunity to see student thrive and succeed!

On a more personal note, I met Lauren while I was a freshmen at Rowan and she was one of the nicest people I met that year and she was someone I could talk to about becoming a student leader and learning about her person journey through Rowan. I only hope to follow in her footsteps and one day inspire students to reach for their dreams and allow them to make a difference on their campus.

This is going to be a wonderful new focus to this blog.  Enjoy!

Look at the six presidents that I interviewed about their personal journeys they took to get into the leadership roles they took on. I have never understood what it felt like to be president of collegiate organization. However I do know that within leadership you must be someone people could look up to but at the same time serving others.

I think the best thing that came out of these blog was the connections I made with people. I wanted to tell people’s stories and show students, Rowan and elsewhere. I thought this blog could not only help people but inspire others to get involved and create change on their campus.

I think I was able to connect people and show that college is a place to flourish and grow. You only have one life and you have live life to it’s fullest.

College is the best time of our lives!

The future of this blog will serve the same purpose but I would like to expand the interviews and look at what higher education administrator do. Learn about campus cultures different from Rowan’s. I hope to keep this blog for another year or so and just see how it can grow.

Gavin Farber: What made you join the organization?

Rosie Braude: I came to Rowan as a public relations major, so I already knew what I wanted to do. The Rowan orientation folder included a flier and I was immediately interested in supplementing my education with a corresponding club. Unfortunately, and I still regret this, I didn’t join PRSSA until second semester sophomore year. I always knew the opportunity was there, but I was scared to join alone. Nicole Galvin and I attended our first PRSSA meeting together after she switched her major from Radio/TV/Film. I was hooked from the first meeting. Their enthusiasm and professionalism was contagious. I greatly credit my involvement and dedication to the 2005-2006 Rowan PRSSA President, Arianna Stefanoni. She was a great role model.

GF: What were the biggest accomplishments your organization did this year?

RB: It’s honestly hard to choose just a couple. We’ve accomplished so much this year. But here goes:

1. Planned and co-hosted the five-day PRSSA 2007 National Conference in Philadelphia with over 1,000 attendees.

2. Planned and hosted the two-day Rowan PRSSA 2008 Regional Activity in Mt. Laurel with 48 attendees from four different colleges and 10 professionals.

3. Organized the first Rowan Donate Dash on April 19, 2008 to benefit the Donnie Farrell and Greg Kaulfers memorial funds and promote organ and tissue donation awareness.

4. Planned and executed the 16th annual Organ Donor Day on April 17, 2008 with free food, games, guest speakers and live bands to again promote organ and tissue donation.

5. Sophomore Rebecca Timms was elected as the 2008-2009 Vice President of Member Services on the PRSSA National Committee. She will be the national resource for over 9,600 PRSSA members around the country.

GF: What made you want to become president of the organization?

RB: Like I mentioned earlier, 2005-2006 Rowan PRSSA President Arianna Stefanoni really influenced me. Just after going to a few PRSSA general meetings, I knew I wanted to be her–I wanted to be president of this amazing organization. So I ran for an executive board position that first semester I joined in hopes that I would be president my senior year. I am so proud of this organization and so honored to be a part of it.

GF: What did you learn from taking on this position?

RB: What didn’t I learn from position? My experience in PRSSA has definitely defined me as a person. My involvement has strengthened me knowledge and experience in the public relations field. I have improved my organization, special event planning, and leadership skills. I have taken opportunities that I never would have received anywhere else. I couldn’t have planned such a large national event at the age of 21 anywhere else.

GF: Would you change anything from this past year?

RB: I wish we had more hours in the day to take a break or have more bonding activities, but I wouldn’t change anything we did. We accomplished everything I wanted and so much more. I had an amazing executive board who consistently went above and beyond.

GF: Was this position stressful?

RB: Absolutely. It was extremely time consuming and demanding. It was extremely difficult to balance being president with my classes, job, internship, and other on-campus clubs and social life. But being PRSSA president is what you make of it. I chose to be extremely ambitious. I chose to sit on many of my executive board’s sub-committees. I chose to attend as many events as possible. And I wouldn’t change any of that. I had an amazing experience . But I definitely wouldn’t have made it through without the support of my family, friends, professors, and executive board. They all helped me when I was stressed out. My executive board was great. I rarely had to check up on them or ask twice for something. They were the best.

GF: What is your advice to future presidents of your organization?

RB: Have a big heart, be patient and be prepared to log long hours. Your Chapter is only as good as the example you set. There are plenty of hard times, but the rewards always outweigh the obstacles. Enjoy everything you do.

GF: What are you future plans? Do you plan to stay in contact with members and advisors of the organization?

RB: I’m starting the PR Master’s program at Rowan this summer, so I’ll be on campus for another year. I won’t be involved in PRSSA, but I’ll still be around as a resource. And I absolutely plan on staying in contact with members and advisors. They have so greatly impacted my life over the past two and half years. I have made some great friends. Plus, networking is an important part of public relations. Maintaining relationships is a huge part of success.

**Please note information has been changed since first being published!**

Gavin Farber: What made you join the organization?

Jessica Bischoff: I would say I seriously joined Society of Human Resource Management at the end of my sophomore year when I decided to switch my major to human resources. I became the career fair chair junior year, and president senior year. The main reason I joined was so I could become involved on campus, and be updated with the latest information in meetings, and learn from the best.

GF: What were the biggest accomplishments your organization did this year?

JB: I would have to say our Career Fair. Our Career Fair allows for Rowan to get their name and students out there. What we do is we sell tables to companies to come in, which not only gives the students an opportunity to speak to a group of companies, but also provides an easy solution for companies when they are looking for interns or recent graduates. We had the biggest turn out their year with over 120 companies at our career fair. With the money that we made from the career fair we are sending almost our complete eboard to the national SHRM conference this summer, which is a great opportunity for the recent graduates.

GF: What made you want to become president of the organization?

JB: I was on the eboard the year before, and I thought that the job would be great. It would give me great opportunities to go out there and speak to employers to get them to come in and speak to the students of Rowan. I thought it would look great on a resume. And it would provide as a great networking opportunity because when you run something, more people know who you are.

GF: What did you learn from taking on this position?

JB: I learned what it would be like to run an organization. I went to all the meetings, and learned how to run a meeting effectively. I learned that a lot can get done when you have great teamwork. And I learned why it is important for your team to bond, and how much better a team will work together once they have bonded.

GF: Would you change anything from this past year?

JB: I think SHRM works really effectively together. But something I would like to see in the future years would maybe be the business organizations coming together and planning something. I know that this year they tried a Salsa banquet, where students were encouraged to learn how to salsa and attend a banquet. But I think maybe the business programs can all get together and raise money someway.

GF: Was this position stressful?

JB: At times the position was found to be stressful. Juggling a full course load, internship, and being a president, and well as a treasurer of a different organization definitely can take up some time. But I think I learned how to manage my time successfully, and learned how to prioritize and juggle events. But I do have to say SHRM’s advisor was great! He was always there to answer any questions I may have had, and he was great at taking some pressure off my shoulders. He was always very eager to help, and I think SHRM is very fortunate for having him. I am not sure SHRM would run the same way or quite as effectively if he wasn’t there.

GF: What is your advice for future presidents of your organization?

JB: Don’t take anything too seriously, and just make sure you have fun with it. I know that at times I was bummed out and upset that we didn’t always get the greatest turn out at meetings. But I think it is important to remember that not many people are interested in HR if they are not in the program, and since our major is so specific we can’t always have the biggest turn out. But have fun with what you have. At times I would makes cookies or brownies for the meetings, and just tried to make sure everyone had fun within the meetings. If they have fun, then they tell their friends, and through word of mouth maybe we can get a bigger turn out.

GF: What are your future plans? Do you plan to stay in contact with members and advisors of the organization?

JB: My future plans are to graduate and get a job with in the HR field as a recruiter. I haven’t obtained these plans yet, but I am definitely in the process. At our last SHRM meeting, we elected next year’s president and I gave her my contact information. I wanted to make sure they feel comfortable emailing me about anything so I spent some time with them, and talked about both the good times and bad times so they knew what to expect. I do plan on keeping in touch with the new president, and I hope she keeps in touch with me. I am also planning on keeping in touch with our advisor who was also my academic advisor.