It's Monday already! Another great week behind me. How time flys! Last week I visited our Chicago MSU Alumni for a couple of days. Talk about energy - wow! They are doing great things celebrating MSU.
From Chicago I flew to Dallas to attend the 21st Annual Greenleaf Servant Leadership Conference. Over 650 leaders attended this great program. Greenleaf really speaks to the true meaning of a servant leader. The phrase “Servant Leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, he said:
"The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature."
"The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?"
I challenge you to think about yourself. Are you a servant leader? Can you respond to the questions above? Spend some time checking out the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. I think you'll enjoy the website, greenleaf.org.
After the conference, I visited with my brother John and my niece Lauren who live in the Dallas area. They went with me as I visited the DFW Alumni club. The club hosted a "SParty on the Club Fred". A couple of hours on a double decker boat with friends and a water slide! Great fun!
Home now to catch up on some office work and do some house cleaning. What's up this week? A visit to alumni in Berrien Springs and Midland and a presentation to the Colonial Plymouth Kiwanis Club. The spirit continues! See ya' next week!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
May 2011
It's been several months since I've pulled together a blog! Wow! Where has time gone? I'm back at it and that's what counts! I've put "BLOG" on my list of weekly to-dos. I have plenty to share!
Looking back, my life has been "non-stop"! To begin, I've changed jobs! After 26 years with the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services, I moved to the Michigan State University Alumni Association. I work with a great team of Spartans! I look forward to going to work each day with so much excitement! Working with alumni around the world is amazing! Just like my Kiwanis friends who are so committed to the works of Kiwanis, Spartan alumni do bleed "green and white". So what happens if you are a Kiwanis member who also bleeds green and white? Look out world!
I have had the opportunity to meet Spartans throughout the country while traveling to the Men's and Women's Big 10 Basketball Tournaments, Men's NCAA Basketball Tourney, Golf Outings, club meetings and socials, etc. It's wonderful to feel the Spartan Spirit!
So, what's up with Kiwanis? My first year as Trustee is in full swing. Working with my districts and now as SLP Vice Chair for The EliMiNaTe Project, keeps me answering lots of emails, conference calls, visits and meetings around the country. I love it!
Yep, sometimes I feel like I am meeting myself coming when I'm going! I always keep a suitcase packed just in case... I wouldn't have it any other way :)
See you again soon!
Looking back, my life has been "non-stop"! To begin, I've changed jobs! After 26 years with the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services, I moved to the Michigan State University Alumni Association. I work with a great team of Spartans! I look forward to going to work each day with so much excitement! Working with alumni around the world is amazing! Just like my Kiwanis friends who are so committed to the works of Kiwanis, Spartan alumni do bleed "green and white". So what happens if you are a Kiwanis member who also bleeds green and white? Look out world!
I have had the opportunity to meet Spartans throughout the country while traveling to the Men's and Women's Big 10 Basketball Tournaments, Men's NCAA Basketball Tourney, Golf Outings, club meetings and socials, etc. It's wonderful to feel the Spartan Spirit!
So, what's up with Kiwanis? My first year as Trustee is in full swing. Working with my districts and now as SLP Vice Chair for The EliMiNaTe Project, keeps me answering lots of emails, conference calls, visits and meetings around the country. I love it!
Yep, sometimes I feel like I am meeting myself coming when I'm going! I always keep a suitcase packed just in case... I wouldn't have it any other way :)
See you again soon!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween!
Wow - where did October go? I'm waiting for all the ghosts and goblins to stop by and get their treats! Nestle Crunch bars! Yum! I sure hope more than 15 stop by (that's the count right now!)
It's been an exciting couple of weeks. On Friday, October 22, we distributed 40 dictionaries to the 3rd graders at Red Cedar Elementary School.
President Sylvester was in town, so what better place to take him than to the MSU Dairy Store for some pumking spice and butter pecan ice cream. We even had the chance to watch the staff make some ice cream! After ice cream, we stopped by Spartan Stadium and introduced Sylvester to Sparty! Great pictures!
Thanks to Michael for giving us an unscheduled tour ;) The busy weekend continued with a trip to Novi for the Fall Club Leadership Education session where Sylvester spoke on The Eliminate Project. After lunch, we all spent the afternoon working the Kids Against Hunger food packaging. We packaged 30,000 meals. Thanks to all our volunteers. And yes, MSU won its football game against Northwestern. All that packed into Saturday, October 23.
On Sunday, October 24 we finished with the Governor's Banner Exchange at Walnut Hills Country Club with President Sylvester giving the Keynote Speech. Governor Bill gave his remarks and "officially" the year was off to a great start.
A quote for your day:
"Leadership is most important when the stakes are the highest, but it must be continuously developed, patiently nurtured, and tested with uncertainty if it is to be fully ready for those unforeseen crisis."
---Frances Hesselbein
It's been an exciting couple of weeks. On Friday, October 22, we distributed 40 dictionaries to the 3rd graders at Red Cedar Elementary School.
President Sylvester was in town, so what better place to take him than to the MSU Dairy Store for some pumking spice and butter pecan ice cream. We even had the chance to watch the staff make some ice cream! After ice cream, we stopped by Spartan Stadium and introduced Sylvester to Sparty! Great pictures!
Thanks to Michael for giving us an unscheduled tour ;) The busy weekend continued with a trip to Novi for the Fall Club Leadership Education session where Sylvester spoke on The Eliminate Project. After lunch, we all spent the afternoon working the Kids Against Hunger food packaging. We packaged 30,000 meals. Thanks to all our volunteers. And yes, MSU won its football game against Northwestern. All that packed into Saturday, October 23.
"Leadership is most important when the stakes are the highest, but it must be continuously developed, patiently nurtured, and tested with uncertainty if it is to be fully ready for those unforeseen crisis."
---Frances Hesselbein
Thursday, October 21, 2010
St Johns 707 Kiwanis Meeting
This morning MSU Circle K club president Andrew and I traveled to the St. Johns for their 7am! meeting. International President Sylvester in making his official visit to Michigan this weekend and he was visiting the St. Johns club. Governor Bill and First Lady Jean were also in attendance. The club honored their "Student of the Month", a cello player from St.Johns High School. It was a very welcome and vibrant club meeting! A great way to start off any day :)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
International Student Reception
For the 7th year the Kiwanis club of East Lansing hosted a reception for international students. I had the opportunity to spend time with students from Malaysia, China and Russia. MSU Circle K helped out at the event. President Simon and Sparty made guest appearances. Another great event!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Travel is on Vacation
Yes, I'm home. Back in East Lansing. I spent the week in Charlotte, NC for the ACUHO-I / APPA Facilities Conference. It was a great week of workshops and talking with colleagues from other institutions. You know when you think you have it not so good? Just talk to someone else doing the same type of work! It's great to compare stories :) I had the chance to visit with the Kiwanis Uptown Charlotte club for dinner night. Thanks to Melissa, Val, Jon, Kassandra and John for a great evening. I also attended the Kiwanis club of Charlotte for lunch. Great meeting! Great fellowship! Congratulations on all you do for the children of Charlotte. This was my last plane trip for the year. Time to unpack all the suitcases!
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