Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Opinion

What is it to be a leader? Whether you take the "You're never beaten until you admit it." approach of General Patton, or the Gandhi's approach of "be the change you wish to see in the world" leadership comes in many shapes and forms. This past weekend though I gained a new appreciation for those leaders who have yet to be identified. While on the SGA leadership retreat many of the upperclassmen had the opportunity to meet the underclassmen who clearly demonstrated that the leaders of tomorrow are quite capable. One simple exercise in which the organizers asked us, the students, who amongst us were leaders. Modest or tired, no hands went up as many faces looked around to their peers. As the exercise continued though the organizers pointed out that by coming to the retreat and spending a weekend learning to lead the students present had already identified themselves as leaders. "You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself." John Ruskin once said, and these students, ones who before this weekend I had not even known by name, be it IJ, Abel, Briana or Ryan, had shown that they too are amongst those to be counted as leaders.
With the question of what a leader is though came how can we work better together to improve the campus around us. Be it through the games of Frisbee and football between events or the low ropes exercises walls were broken down and bridges were built. With the breakfast conversations, breakout groups and evening antics the wisdom of graduating seniors David Velasco and Juan Gamarra amongst others was visibly being passed along. Up-beat spirits and calm attitudes at the end of the weekend stood as a visible testament to the progress this assorted group had made, but the lesson I took with me was that all students have a sincere interest in the school and its well being. Warren Bennis once said "A new leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless ... someone's got to make a wake up call." These new leaders have shown that they are ready to be the new leaders for tomorrow.

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