Sen. Garn

1.  Sen. Garn spoke about the importance of serving and giving back to the nation.  Please share some reasons you feel grattitude for the opportunities you have experienced.

I feel gratitude for the opportunities that I have experienced because of the people i've been able to meet, and the situations and projects i've been able to be a part of. I'm not perfect, and I'm grateful to have been a part of organizations and projects where they are patient and able and willing for me to be able to grow and learn a long the way. The patience of other people is one of the most amazing blessings i've been given; the patience to help me along the way, and to help me become the woman I'm meant to be. 

2.  Sen. Garn described his perception of humanity and the senslessness of conflict, that he gained as he orbitted the planet int he space shuttle.  Please describe how remembering this perception will help you serve as a leader in your community.

I think the most important thing about serving as a leader in my community, is always being open-minded and willing to help those around you without judging. We all come from different backgrounds, we all have different experiences, all of which shape us into entirely different human beings. The more accepting we can be of others, the better prepared we will be to help others and to serve them. I can remember these things when I serve as a leader in my community, which will help me problem solve, and help those around me succeed. 

Dean Heperi

1.  Describe three different ways that you have made your love for students you lead visible through work you have done.

 I feel like initially working so hard with the branding campaign was a big part of showing that love, because I was very passionate about completing and putting together this branding campaign to help other students be able to identify with the organization, so that they can experience the life changing opportunities that await them with BYUSA

2.  Dean Heperi talked about the importance of truly loving those you work with enough to help them improve.  Please describe a time when you have had to help someone by having a difficult conversation about their need for improvement.  Please identify what things you said that helped you in this experience.

Normally, I try not to get into other people's business, and I allow them to make mistakes and whatnot because I have no jurisdiction over them and their agency, but when I've expressed concern and love to them, their attitudes have been able to change a lot more readily and easily. I can remember a couple of conversations when it comes to a couple of my girl friends, and their situations with the boys they dated. Remembering back to those conversations, where those girls have needed help in their lives, the most important and vital words spoken and unspoken were those of love, and not just from me, but from their Heavenly Father. Love, hope, and encouragement are probably the most vital things that make a difference. Specific things I've said are just assuring people that they are loved by their Heavenly Father, and that they are of divine worth, and have a divine potential. 

Sue

1. Sue described several myths about careers.  One myth she spoke of was the one that identified the major you choose now will lock you into your career.  Describe at least two different career paths you have had interest in throughout your college career.  What classes have you taken that have exposed you to possible career paths?

Where do I start? I've been interested in archaeology, classical archaeology, public relations, film making, advertising, consulting, and a couple more things that probably don't make the list. I've taken classes in all of these different fields and I have loved them. One specific career path I can talk about is advertising and communications. I was able to take intro to communications, and writing in communications. Those were two very valuable classes that I had, it helped me realize that I didn't want to do advertising or something in communications even though that was a field I was interested in. I was also interested in being a film producer. I still really love this field and it is perhaps a career field i'd like to be in. I took intro to film which was an awesome class. LOVED it. 

1. "When I find my calling, work will be bliss." Please describe how this statement is a busted myth.

This is a busted myth because just because you find your calling doesn't mean that every moment of your career will be a blissful happy journey with no trials. Life has trials, all aspects. Even when you find your calling in life, you will have bumps along the road, but it will all be for good, so no worries. 

Pres. Samuelson

1. President Samuelson warned of the dangers of waiting to serve until you are less busy.  Describe how you will make yourself available to serve, even in the midst of a ever increasing schedule and responsibilities.

I think the best way to make yourself available to serve is to always have a mindset of service. If we have a mindset of service it doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing, you can always find opportunities to help those around you. I think another way is to always make time to do nothing, make time for yourself, and to connect with yourself. I think this is important for keeping things in perspective.

1. President Samuelson shared an important lesson he learned about making assignments in his role as an Elders Quourm President.  Please identify what you believe made the difference in the outcome he described going from having to complete the assignment himself to having others take accountability.  How will you apply this concept to leadership roles you have in the future.

I think accountability is huge. You can't do everything for everyone for the sake of the project; sometimes you have to let things fall or fail a bit in order for people to learn and to take responsibility. You can't babysit the consequences for a job well done or a job failed, for the sake of the individual involved, sometimes you have to let consequences take their natural course. I can apply this to my leadership roles in the future as a mother; you teach children the correct principles, you help lead them and guide them and help them see the consequences, good or bad, of their decisions, and sometimes you let them fall a little bit to learn the consequences of their actions. Easier said than done I bet. haha. 

Feb. 6th 2012

1.Dr. Wilson spoke about the effect working in Student Leadership at BYU had on helping him become a "grown up."  Please describe the ways that your involvement has helped you develop as a leader from when you started serving until now.

I feel like I have developed as a leader in many ways. I think the first way is through understanding what service is, and what it means to be a leader. The most valuable things I have actually learned about leadership are through my job at the Ballard Center - I've done a lot of research involving branding, PR, entrepreneurship, mission/vision statements, and how to run a business, and I've learned that one of the most fundamental differences that people tend to forget, is that there is a difference between management and leadership. I love comparing the two because it highlights that leadership is about helping those around you succeed; it's about knowing their strengths and weakness and helping them to develop in the areas that will make them most successful. It's about having a vision, and helping others catch that vision. It's about inspiring and motivating people to go above and beyond what they thought they could achieve. Leadership is not just about getting things done. Anyone can manage people, time, money, resources, but leadership is the development and art of people. I feel like understanding that has really helped me be a better leader, knowing what and how to define it. 

2. Dr. Wilson shared his experience serving an internship in Jerusalem.  This experience was not part of his program, but was approved because he was willing to do additional work to make it possible.  Please describe the ways you can be effective in advocating for change or making improvement in existing programs.

I can be effective in advocating for change or making improvement in existing programs, by being truthful, and really examining and analyzing problems in a truthful manner. If the problem with a program is that it's not meeting the needs of the students, let's say that. If the problem with a program is that the coordinators don't support it, let's say that. If the problem with the program is that the ED doesn't have sufficient knowledge to make it happen, let's say that. I think honesty is the best policy; we need to be honest with ourselves in order to get anywhere and in order to make any improvement. It's not about being perfect, or that so-and-so has all the right answers, but it's about being realistic, and helping to build people, and helping them and their efforts be successful. 

Jan. 30th 2012

I really liked the lesson that Brother Cox gave to us. I love hearing his personal insights on life and careers, and in giving us tips on things we can do to be productive and good servant leaders now and later on in life. One of my favorite tips that he gave was to do what you love. I am  a firm believer that the Lord gives us passions in life, and that he gives them to us for a reason. Whether it's music, ancient civilizations, business, or pottery, I know that He has given us those passions and talents for the purpose of building up His kingdom. That is why I love his tip of if you don't like what you're doing, change it. I feel like we are meant to be happy in this life, and do things that make us happy (And what will of course make us happiest is doing God's will) because God wants us to pursue our interests and do things we love. If you always wanted to be a pilot, be a pilot! If you always wanted to be an institute teacher, be an institute teacher! You should get up every morning and love doing what you're doing - don't do it for money, do it because you love it.

Another point in his lesson that I liked was to always put your family first. I think that no matter what happens to us in life, whether it's good or it's bad, if our priority is always our family and the church, then we will succeed no matter what happens.

I'm grateful for the chance that I had to listen to Bro. Cox speak about his life - I find his stories so motivating and inspiring. I want to live the kind of life he has lived, always doing the Lord's will and being willing to go after the one.

I can apply these tips to my life now and in the future, by always remembering to do what I love, and to encourage those around me to do what they love. Life is one to be enjoyed, if you don't start loving it now, will you ever? I will also apply family as a priority throughout my whole life, because they're the ones that matter, and will always matter.

Judge Griffith

Judge Griffith spoke about the importance of remembering the "least" among us.  Describe how you can apply this concept in your leadership role today in BYUSA.  Also, describe how you intend to apply this focus on the "least" in the future as you serve in leadership roles.

I think the concept of remembering the least among us is one of the most essential principles of the gospel. Jesus in his ministry shows countless times, going after the one, and remember the least of those around us. We are to do the same in our lives; we are to seek out those who may be overlooked or trodden on, and lift them up and help them feel the love of our Savior. I can apply this concept in my leadership role today in BYUSA by being a good example, and seeking out the one in all of the different areas of my life. I am always a representative of BYUSA and I think one of my favorite experiences with being involved in BYUSA, is meeting people in class, meeting people in my ward, at random events, and they discover that I'm a part of BYUSA and they are surprised. I think we can all give BYUSA a great name by living virtuous lives and remembering the various organizations that we represent whether it's the Church, our families, or BYUSA. I can apply this to my life in the future by never taking people for granted, to listening to them, to being a shoulder to cry on, or a listening ear. I think the principle of service and charity, and serving the least of those around us, we are living up to our baptismal covenants, and I think the more of service, charity, and loving we can do in all the various areas of our lives, the happier we'll be.

Judge Griffith talked about how we learn what God wants us to learn from listening to those who speak to us through talks, lessons and home teaching. Please describe how it is possible to learn from those who might night have the same level of education.  Identify and describe a time in your life when you have learned from an individual with a differing educaitonal background.

It's very easy to consider yourself above another person because of social status, money, education etc. I think across all cultures the people that adults can learn the most from are children. The way the see the world is so different; it hasn't been bogged down by politics, expectations, finances, education, careers and so forth, and they have a much simpler time figuring out the things that matter most. I think we can take a page from their book, and treat people with kindness, be forgiving of the mistakes and misdeeds of others, and just love people unconditionally. We don't have to be perfect, we won't be, but each day is a new opportunity for us to get up and try again, and sometimes that's all it takes.

Please describe something you learned about leadership from Judge Griffith's presentation.

I loved the part where he talked about how we learn what the Lord has to tell us through speakers and lessons at church. I think it gave me a new perspective and has prompted me to pay a little more attention in church on Sundays; the more you put into learning, the more you will get out of it.