Dare to Dream
04/28/2015
So the semester is coming to a close, which means my undergraduate career at IU East is going right along with it. What a rollercoaster of a career. As I look to graduation, I reflect back on everything I've been able to accomplish and be involved with in my time here. Over the last 4 years I have been so fortunate to be involved with the Student Activities Advisory Team. In case you don't know, SAAT is responsible for all the fun activities that go on all year long. When you see a member of SAAT at an event, thank them. A lot of brainstorming went into getting events planned out at crucial points of the year. They work extremely hard to execute the plans that they envision and, most of the time, voluntarily decide not to be able to win some of the cool prizes throughout the year. So the least you could do is give them a high five or a thank you. With that being said, I want to also thank Amanda Vance and Rebeckah Hester in Campus Life for their support for me over these same 4 years. They really helped me keep my focus on getting to graduation, even when I wanted to just give up. I knew that when I was having a bad day, I could go to them and talk it over. One last thing, thank you for the opportunity to be your emcee. What an honor it was to represent SAAT in that magnitude!
Through my time here at the university I've seen, and been involved with, so much. So much that I don't think I can put it all on this blog, but, I'll try. When I first came to IU East, I was lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do, I come in as a business major and quickly changed to communications. I had dreams and aspirations just like everyone else, but I didn't know how I was going to get there. I found that communications wasn't the class for me (shortly after finding out that a class that focuses on love and romance was actually a requirement and that the final project involved watching different versions of Cinderella and critiquing them all) so I changed back to business. I do want to thank those professors in those classes that made me think, "Why do I need this?". If it weren't for these classes, I wouldn't have electives to my name. I also want to say thank you to everyone from my prerequisite professors to my business program professors for giving me the knowledge to compete with other students graduating from larger schools.
From my involvement on campus, I was able to meet people and do things I could never have done anywhere else. I got to meet Neon Trees and Mike Posner and get their autographs (AND get the drummer's drumstick from Neon Trees), I got TONS of free stuff, I was able to plan and execute a marketing strategy for our Neon Trees concert, and I was able to really see what can be accomplished if you work as a team. Attending all the homecoming bonfires, Bash at the Graf, Back with the Pack, GloZone, Casino Night, Talent Shows, and countless comedians and hypnotists, this really helped me unwind from the everyday stressors that go along with being a college student. These also happen to be some of the most memorable events from my time at the college. It's where I met new people and became closer to the ones I already knew.
Another area I became involved in was athletics. From almost the beginning of my college career, I always had friends that were involved in a sport, as many of you do today. As my relationships grew within different sports, I became more and more involved. I began working basketball games as the scorekeeper for men's and (now) women's basketball. This helped me build connections and, again, meet new people.
This past year I was blessed with an opportunity to be an assistant coach for the track and field program. The impact that these student athletes have made on my life is something that they will never understand. In a time that I was lost and trying to find my purpose, they showed me what hard work can do. They came to practice and worked extremely hard every day. I was able to spend a majority of my time with the middle distance and distance runners. These athletes, consisting of Sage Henderson, Kyle Hall, Adam Klipstine, Dylan Cope, and Seth Prince, made me realize I had a bigger purpose than what I thought. It was a such a privilege to be able to help them become conference champions.
Today, I am two and a half weeks away from walking across the stage inside the Tiernan Center at Richmond High School, shaking the hands of many people that have shared and played a part in the experiences that I've been through. Am I nervous? Yes. Am I anxious? Yes. Do I really want to leave IU East and everything that I've come to know and love? No.
Words cannot describe how thankful I am for the support that the faculty, staff, and student body has provided me. If it weren't for you, I would not be able to say that I did it. IU East has become more than just a college, it's become a home. I am proud to say that I got my degree from here. I am proud to say that I am a permanent part of #RedWolfNation.
After all this, I can say I made it. Finally.
"Remember me and smile, for it's better to forget than to remember me and cry." Dr. Seuss
Congratulations to the Class of 2015!
FYI: Commencement will be help May 15 at 6:00pm at the Richmond High School Tiernan Center. I hope to see you all there!
