Director’s Note Spring has arrived and with it the recognizable signs of renewed energy and excitement. Students are playing frisbee in the quad, flowers are in bloom and the long-awaited warm weather signifies that summer is near! With this new energy about us, we are given a great opportunity to reflect on the progress both Kansas State University and the School of Leadership Studies have made. As we celebrate K-State’s 150th anniversary, students and faculty alike are reminded of the great strides K-State has made over the past 150 years thanks to the leaders who have invested time and energy into our campus since 1863. As director of the School of Leadership Studies, I take great pride in reflecting on and acknowledging the contributions our students and faculty have made both on campus and in the community just in the last school year. Our students continue to develop as knowledgeable, ethical, caring, inclusive leaders as various student groups have been taking steps to initiate a response to the growing issue of hunger. Locally, our student groups have worked to educate the Manhattan community as well as make donations to the Flint Hills Breadbasket. Globally, groups such as Kansas Campus Compact and Alternative Breaks are looking beyond our borders to learn about initiatives to end hunger around the world. In addition to these new initiatives, we also enjoy annual events such as the International Service Team send-off and Wildcat Leadership Challenge. Past students are also making significant contributions to our school as we kick-off the Wildcats Leadership for Life pilot mentor program. We are so lucky to have such exceptional alumni willing to invest in our 2
current students. With 150 years of great leaders at K-State, we look forward to educating and empowering student leaders for 150 more! We can all take a bit of time to reflect on what a great school year this has been, filled with new opportunities and multiple reasons for celebration. We hope that you will find an opportunity during the spring season to sit down and enjoy reading about what your leadership studies family has been up to! As always, K-State Proud!
Mary H. Tolar
Caring for Kenya
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International Service Teams Send offs
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K-State’s Top 5
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Celebrating Service and Leadership
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Wildcats Leadership for Life
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Alumni Spotlight: Adam Tank
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Wildcat Leadership Challenge
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Confronting Global Hunger
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Caring for Kenya During the summer of 2011, Kaitlin Long served at the Children and Youth Empowerment Centre (CYEC) in Nyeri, Kenya as a member of an International Service Team. While she was there, she had an opportunity to meet women who made shoulder bags and other items, including head wraps, as a part of the tailoring program offered through the centre. CYEC addresses the problem of street youth in Kenya and 4
is a safe place for around 150 children and young adults to come and learn life skills, take art lessons and participate in other activities throughout the day. Long was inspired by the women she met and was determined to find some way to help them sustain their stitched creations. Little did she know, she would have the opportunity to make that dream come true the following semester.
Last spring, Long was enrolled in a social entrepreneurship class where students were charged with entering the Next Big Thing competition. She asked her friend Logan Gauby, another student who was with her in Kenya, to join her on a business endeavor which was eventually named Rafiki Bags LLC.
The Next Big Thing competition is an event held annually by the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration. With a prize of $3,000 given as seed money to start their venture, Long and Gauby, along with the help of fellow entrepreneurs from Nyeri, were able to implement their plan after winning first place in the competition. The duo did not waste any time getting their business off the ground, and just months after the competition, Rafiki bags made their way to K-State. Two young women, who Long met at the CYEC during her summer in Kenya, worked on making 30 African-patterned shoulder bags and 40 head wrap scarves which were shipped to the U.S. and are currently sold in the K-State Student Union and in Varney’s in Aggieville. 70 percent of the profits from Rafiki Bags LLC are going straight toward the women’s funding for school, as they have hopes of becoming
fashion designers, but are unable to afford the cost of education. The other 30 percent of the proceeds are going toward the upkeep of sewing machines, fabric and transportation. Despite the success of the business endeavor, the international barrier proved to be difficult at times. However, Long and Gauby have a heart for service and seek new opportunities to give back daily. “It has been a long and frustrating road at times, but learning patience when working internationally is crucial to the success of any project,” Long said. “Regardless of what happens with Rafiki, Logan and I have learned so much and the relationships we have been able to build with those at the CYEC are what motivate me the most!” Rafiki Bags is not only giving Long and Gauby business experience while still in college, but they are also able to help provide funding and training for students at the CYEC, sustaining their efforts as a result.
How YOU can help: If you are interested in getting your very own Rafiki Bag: Visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ RafikiBags Stop by Varney’s or the K-State Student Union *The bags also make wonderful gifts!
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Wildcats Leadership for Life (WLFL) is a program for Leadership Studies alumni and friends! WLFL was created to help you to stay in touch with what is going on in Leadership Studies by keeping you informed about upcoming events and programs, as well as continuing your education on leadership. WLFL provides opportunities for alumni connections in order to support and develop future generations of Leadership Studies students and programs. K-State Leadership Studies students indicated a desire for mentors that will help to enhance their growth through professional development, networking, and advice on how to be a leader after college, work-life balance, staying connected to K-State and things to consider when accepting a job. WLFL heard this need and created a new program focusing on upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) who are preparing to enter the career world. Emily Campbell, public relations student coordinator for the School of Leadership Studies, had the privilege of contacting Amanda Cebula, President of WLFL, to find out more about the pilot mentoring program which hit the ground running this spring. Read below to find out more about the WLFL mentor program and how YOU can get involved!
Emily: Why did you decide to help start the WLFL mentor program?
Amanda: Our Alumni Advisory
Committee met during the Spirit of Leadership event this past fall and decided we could make the greatest impact as alumni and friends of the School of Leadership Studies (SLS) by selecting a project to work on for the year. We all have a lot 10
of passion and energy around the mission of SLS and decided that we could best contribute by piloting a mentor program. This would allow us to connect with students, live out the SLS mission, and help get alumni reconnected with what is happening on campus.
E: Who has played a key role
in getting the mentor program started?
A:This has truly been a team
effort! Each person on the Alumni Advisory Committee who committed to getting this program going back in September has contributed in some way, whether that was developing the training materials for our mentors and mentees, setting up the structure for the program, promoting the event, answering emails or volunteering to actually be a mentor. We have
also really appreciated all of the encouragement and support from the School of Leadership Studies faculty and staff.
E: What are you hoping will
happen as a result of the mentor program?
A: As a result of the mentor
program I am hoping for three things. First, that we are able to enrich the lives of the alumni who have volunteered to be mentors. Second, that we can
create awareness for the Wildcats Leadership for Life program and bring on board new faces who want to be engaged or re-engaged with the School of Leadership Studies, and third, to support the mission and vision of the School of Leadership Studies.
E: How can interested alumni get involved?
A: Interested alumni or friends who want to get involved in the mentor program or WLFL can
email KStateWLFL@gmail.com or call (352) 672-7302. Find out more about the mentor program by visiting: www.k-state. edu/leadership/supporting_ leadership_studies/wlfl/ mentorprogram.html Like our page on Facebook! www.facebook.com/ wildcatsleadershipforlife 11
Alumni Spotlight Adam Tank
Adam Tank, 2010 K-State graduate, returned to campus at the invitation of the School of Leadership Studies. On April 22nd, Tank spoke to approximately 60 students, faculty and staff about his leadership philosophy and, most importantly, how we can create our own. The name of the lecture was “What You Are Doing Now Is All You’ve Got.” According to Tank, it all comes down to self-reflection. Tank has already begun an impressive career, having worked for General Mills in Tennessee before moving to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to work for Bazzar Foods. Adam has had a diverse experience for someone just three years post-graduation. Tank began his lecture by holding 12
up a packet from his freshman year class, LEAD 212: Introduction to Leadership Concepts. In the packet, he had drawn symbols of what success would look like after graduation. Tank’s reflection of success was illustrated by an astronaut, dollar signs, and a yachtamong other images. According to Tank, “My future basically was going to make me something I didn’t want to be.” Tank achieved success early after graduation, working in a management position at General Mills. He was “living the American dream,” by the definition he had set for himself. However, in a move that would surprise many, he gave up the job and the salary to take a more modest position with Bazzar Foods in Rio de Janeiro. Tank decided
that he was no longer going to let his prescribed notion of success determine his career. After some self-reflection, he knew that he was ready for a different challenge. Having given each audience member a piece of white paper, Tank asked the audience his first question, “Out of all of the speeches or lectures you’ve heard in your life, about what percent do you remember?” Each participant recorded a percentage before passing their paper to someone new. The average? Less than 10%. Tank then prompted the audience to take notes and write or draw anything that inspired them in his presentations. “This will help you remember more,” Tank told the group. Tank was preparing the
audience to do some self-reflection of their own. Tank moved onto his second question, “Who, in your past, present, and future, will you spend the most time with?” The answer? Yourself. “No one”, Tank pointed out, “will you ever spend more time with than you. So, when we ask ourselves, ‘What was I thinking?’ - why is ‘I’ a separate entity?” According to Tank, if we do not know what we are thinking as individuals, how are we ever going to be leaders? If we do not even know who we are, how are we to help others know who they are? This brought Tank to his third question. “Are you comfortable leading other people?” Tank shared with the audience a story about an employee he managed while in Tennessee. Not giving too many details, Tank shared a challenge he had managing a woman who was as old as his parents. How was he, a 23 year old, expected to have authority over someone twice his age? It turns out, Tank said, “All I needed to know was where I was to help her.” In other words, Tank knew himself, what was important to him, and how he wanted to make an impact on others. This helped his employee reach the same level of self-reflection. Eventually, the woman left the company to continue her education and follow her dreams. Because Adam knew himself, he was in a better position to lead. “I encourage you to start today,” Tank told the audience- start today on self-reflection. When we know ourselves, we are better equipped to lead others. This led Adam to ask his fourth question for the audience, “What is something you can do right now that would help you become a better person in 30 seconds?” Tank promptly dropped to the floor and did 10 push-ups. His point? In 30 seconds you can take action that, over time, will benefit you in “ways you can’t imagine.” We can all start now. By challenging ourselves in selfreflection, even when it means coming to terms with some hard truths, we will become better. By spending intentional time in self-reflection, we will know what we want to do and where we want to lead- and in ways bigger and better than outlined by our freshman year selves. Like Adam, we need to make sure our reflections of success matches our values. Adam’s philosophy on leadership involves using self-reflection so that you can best know yourself and thus be better prepared to lead others. As an alumni, Adam Tank is sharing his techniques to better the leadership of our students. We’d love input from our other alumni as well! Share the ways you self-reflect on our Facebook page!
Q&A with Adam Tank Q: Briefly explain your leadership philosophy. A: The most critical part of my leadership philosophy is having a solid grasp on who I am before attempting to lead others. When you come to realize your own strengths and weaknesses, what you enjoy, how you interact with individuals, what your morals are, etc., it’s much easier to lead because you have a solid foundation to work from. Q: How did your experiences in Blue Key and International Service Teams (IST) help develop your philosophy? A: Blue Key first introduced me to strengthsbased leadership and the 7 habits of highly effective people. The strengths literature, in particular, has been incredibly helpful in my daily interactions with those around me. IST gave me a more global perspective, and helped me realize that at the end of the day, most everybody has the same hopes, desires, and dreams regardless of religion, race, language, culture, etc. Q: What leadership skills do you use on a daily basis? A: Clear and concise communication is number one. The second is complete respect for anybody and everybody, regardless of “title”. Q: What advice do you have for young professionals seeking to make an impact in their community or beyond? A: First - look no further than your own backyard to begin making a difference. There are plenty of opportunities to leave a lasting impact that are around you all the time. Second - take risks. Don’t be scared. There’s no reason to worry about what other’s think. If you have a solid foundation (mentioned above), you are making the right decision. Don’t second guess it. Third - Enjoy every second. You never know when it’s going to end. Living in the moment ensures you are making the most effective use of your time and leaving the best impact you can. And it’s just more fun! 13
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Confronting Global Hunger “Please feed me, I’m starving,” a sweet, little girl from Nicaragua said as she climbed into Rick McNary’s lap during a mission trip in 2001. From that moment on, McNary’s life was changed. He knew that something needed to be done in order to help solve the hunger problem that is affecting not only the global population, but in the Little Apple as well. Rick McNary is the CEO of Numana Inc., an international non-profit hunger relief organization that
he championed with one single mission: To empower people to save the starving. McNary was invited to Kansas State University in mid-February as a part of the Lou Douglas Lecture series and delivered a lecture on “Three Keys to Solving Global Hunger”. “Education, enablement and empowerment,” McNary said, “this is all we need to know and do in order to solve the hunger problem.”
McNary shared his personal accounts of global hunger and spoke about the struggles he faced in initiating the Numana Inc. organization. His words inspired all of those in attendance at the lecture, but McNary is not the only person working hard toward putting a stop to hunger; NLSA, HandsOn Kansas State, Alternative Breaks, Leadership Studies classes and Kansas Campus Compact have also stepped up as leaders in the fight.
“Hunger has been on the hearts and minds of those in the School of Leadership Studies and we are now addressing it from more than one perspective,” Clarissa Sents, Executive Board Member of Nonprofit Leadership Student Alliance, said. There was a food packaging event held directly after the Lou Douglas Lecture and 5,400 meals of macaroni and cheese were assembled by Kansas State University students and friends to be distributed to the Flint Hills Breadbasket for dissemination in the Manhattan and surrounding communities. “I’ve never had the opportunity to help with an event quite like this before,” Daniel Mahoney, a food packaging volunteer, said. “Listening to Rick talk about making a difference and then having the chance to get up and physically do something to help out locally was really empowering.” In addition to the food packaging event, the School of Leadership Studies has helped to mobilize events including Hidden Hunger with HandsOn Kansas State in the fall, Alternative Breaks service trips, and Cats for Cans, a food drive organized by LEAD 212: Introduction to Leadership Studies Concepts classes. “The School of Leadership Studies is truly bringing the hunger
issue full circle,” Lynda Bachelor, HandsOn Kansas State Coordinator, said. “What may have started as one project has turned into multiple different projects in many of the groups we have housed here in the school.” “We find ourselves asking, what can we do in order to help further the hunger initiative?” Bachelor said. “Hunger is an issue that we have all embraced and everyone is looking for opportunities to do their part in sustaining the movement.” The Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH) Summit and the Kansas Hunger Dialogues are two springtime events focused on creating an environment to discuss sustainable human development, health and well-being for both present and future generations. Kansas Campus Compact (KsCC) is headquartered at the School of Leadership Studies and served as a sponsor for the UFWH Summit as well as hosted the 2013 Kansas Hunger Dialogue. KsCC is a group that promotes service-learning and civic engagement efforts in order to educate Kansans at institutions of higher education and has initiated helping with the hunger issue. Above all else, the School of Leadership Studies is taking steps to help maintain and sustain the hunger movement through providing various opportunities
for students to serve locally as well as internationally. Educating, equipping and empowering students and community members to join in on the effort to end hunger has been key. “We just need to keep the conversation going,” Bachelor said. “Hunger is not going to go away soon, so we need to talk about it and work together to see what we can do right here and right now.”
What can YOU do TODAY to help the fight to end world hunger? Spread awareness of hunger as a global issue by sharing this story on Facebook or have a conversation with friends and family about what hunger looks like. • Volunteer or start your own food packaging event. Find out how: http://numanainc.com/ • Volunteer or donate to your local soup kitchen. • Join the fight against hunger in America: http://feedingamerica.org/ 17
As we approach graduation, we cannot believe our time at K-State is coming to an end! We know that we are all the more prepared for what comes next thanks to the lessons we have learned both in our time working and being involved with the School of Leadership Studies. As we reflect over our time as PR student coordinators, we would like to share a bit about what we’ve learned: • We learned never worry about coming into work hungry, as someone has always brought a snack to share in the meeting place! • We learned that you can never, EVER, spell check too many times! • On a more serious note, we learned to take a team of three differently skilled individuals and harness our strengths to make the best PR team possible. Bryant brought skills in media, Emily in planning our events and social media, and Maureen in writing, and together we worked to produce a new website, several editions of “the Loop,” celebratory events such as “Spirit of Leadership” and “Celebrating Service and Leadership” and various promotional materials that helped tell the School of Leadership Studies story. As we transition from students to alumni, we look forward to giving feedback to the new PR coordinators to help them improve on how the School connects with students and alumni – and we encourage you to do the same. The beautiful thing about the School of Leadership Studies is that everyone who enters these doors has a story to tell. This group of people, from faculty to students to alumni and friends makes an impact in so many ways across our world. We all benefit from hearing these stories, and as PR coordinators, we have enjoyed sharing them with you. We hope you will join us in staying connected with the School of Leadership Studies and reflect on what stories you want to hear! Please contact slsinfo@k-state.edu (yes, we were serious when we said we wanted your feedback!) to let us know what stories connected with you. We hope to continue growing this newsletter into a piece that keeps alumni connected and invested in what the School is doing. Our new PR coordinators cannot wait to learn what you would like to hear from Leadership Studies!
Signing Off: Emily, Bryant & Maureen