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Blurring the Color Lines
Nov. 10, 2014—Do you prefer to date within or outside of your race––or do you care at all? Why? These were the questions posed to panelists at this evening’s event, “Blurring the Color Lines,” presented by NAACP and co-sponsored by the Caribbean Student Association and the Department of African-American & Diaspora Studies at Vanderbilt. I wanted to...
#VandyVegetarian
Nov. 9, 2014—I present to you the alphabet of vegetarian campus dining! After having been around the block a few times (ie. West End, 21st, Hillsboro Village) and all over campus, I’ve compiled this list of my favorite dishes at various locations. Everything can be bought on the meal plan as a meal swipe or with Meal...
When Drinking is a Disease
Oct. 27, 2014—Last week while using public transportation in Nashville, I found myself chatting with a couple of homeless men at a bus stop. One man, called "Chief" by his buddies, had short greasy hair and dirty white sneakers. "Look at these," he said, pointing to the shoes. "Look at how disgusting I am." His voice dropped to a cracked whisper and his brown eyes looked into mine. "Today I’m drinking my last beer." He peeled back the brown paper from a glass bottle. "You don’t believe me, I know you don’t. But this is my last beer."
EVOLVE is Present Tense
Oct. 24, 2014—After eight weeks, EVOLVE has come to an end. We've explored ACCESS and accomplished the following goals: Examine and describe personal leadership style; develop relationships with peers through cluster and 1:1 meetings; identify, explore, and apply personal strengths; apply Leadership Excellence Philosophy to our Vanderbilt experience.
Ethical, Service-Oriented, and Supportive Leadership
Oct. 23, 2014—The first three sessions of EVOLVE covered accountability, collaboration, and communication, and the last three session of EVOLVE covered ethics and values, servant leadership, and identity and inclusivity. A Leader is Ethical Ethics, which we defined as standards of conduct based on socially-accepted values, are necessary to promote productive functioning and well-being of groups/societies (OSLD)....
After Midterms, A Relaxing Break
Oct. 19, 2014—Fall break couldn’t have come any sooner. After about ten days of study study test study cram test paper study test (a.k.a. midterm week), I packed a few clothes in a duffel and drove three hours east to Ocoee, TN with friends. We spent Wednesday night in a pastoral setting, and then found a camping...
Public Art and The Kefi Project
Oct. 19, 2014—It’s time to introduce one of the standout student orgs on campus: The Kefi Project. If you’re not familiar with Kefi, we’re to blame for poetry in unexpected places, water-bottle chandeliers, and so many parasols. The Greek word kefi (κέφι) conveys a spirit of joy, passion, enthusiasm and high-spirited living. I got involved in the...
Loading ACCESS… 50% Completed
Sep. 25, 2014—I find myself at the mid-point of the EVOLVE leadership development program, introduced in a previous post. In clusters of four and as a cohort of 36, we completed A for Accountable, C for Collaborative, and a second C for Communicative. Each letter is part of an acronym that encapsulates the Office of Student Leadership...
SOUTH AFRICA {an acrostic}
Sep. 9, 2014—olving problems was never the goal. I understood from the beginning that the parallels between our own great nation and the southern-most tip of Africa were strong enough that if I wanted to tackle the issues of poverty, community health, civil rights, or education, I needn’t look farther than my own ZIP code. No, it...
EVOLVE-ing One Week at a Time
Sep. 5, 2014—EVOLVE is a personal leadership development program led by Vanderbilt's Office of Student Leadership Development (OSLD). I'm honored to be a part of the inaugural program, and here's my take after the first meeting.