A Word From a Grad...

My name is Simeon Bowman, I am currently a senior at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan and back in April of 2010 I attended Rapports “College Leadership Breakthrough” class in Las Vegas, NV. The opportunity to take the class was suggested and offered by my sponsor Robin Smith who is the head of the Student Retention Department in the Student Development office at my university. The timing of my attending College Leadership Breakthrough (CLB) was actually quite coincidental; there were two catastrophic events that had taken place in my life in the recent year, one of which being the death of my father. Both of these events had taken a major toll on both me mentally as well as my motivation in school. Simply put, I was struggling.

There are a number of CLB alum from Spring Arbor University, a couple of which I have had the privilege of working with and they had nothing but good things to say about the class. I reminded myself that nothing ventured means nothing gained and dove headfirst into the class. My hopes in attending were simply for a shifting of perspective. A shift large enough to help me reframe the way that I was looking at life, which at the time was relatively drab and futile, to a perspective that was much more optimistic and hopeful. To say that my prayers were answered in full still seems to be a bit of an understatement. The CLB class really opened my mind to the power of community and how it can be used to inspire individuals. The concept of “synergy” was one that seemed to permeate the entire program. It was a remarkable experience being put into a two and a half day class with what originally was a group of total strangers and walking away from the experience feeling as if I had gained a new family.

If there is one thing that I can say that I have taken away from the course it is that the power of community is limitless in its ability to inspire and encourage the individual. Interdependence is not anything to be feared but rather embraced, because it is truly the key to unlocking true potential. Since taking the class it has been my goal to live my life in such a way as to inspire everyone that I come into contact to pursue and seek the power of community, to be encouragers and supporters, and to desire the same. All with the understanding that it begins with me.

-Simeon