2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: Leadership bred, not born
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
04/09/08 - For the 20th time, the university's best gathered yesterday for the annual A. Robert Rainville Awards. The awards recognize student leaders that exemplify leadership and make a positive difference on campus.
The night clearly demonstrated that leaders fill every crevice of the University of Rhode Island campus. It also served as a reminder to those that did not share a moment in the spotlight that with a little ambition, anyone can rise to a level of greatness.
Astute students know that becoming involved with a student group, sport or organization leads to good things. The co-founders of the award-winning group, We're Offering Women Wisdom, were both finalists for the individual Rainville award. One winner is active with a Division I team and the other is a fixture in the College of Arts and Sciences office of the dean.
Students wary of taking the reins of a student group need only to look to the two individual student winners for proof that involvement and good grades are far from mutually exclusive.
Student leadership winner Jill Anderson holds an impressive 3.78 GPA and student employee winner Paula Arruda kept a 3.53 GPA. Anderson is co-captain of the softball team and Arruda is a full-time mom of a 5-year-old. The pair should serve as a model to any student who complains about being "too busy" to become involved.
And while the Rainville might be the biggest award around, it is not the only one. Each year departments, colleges, programs and groups award hundreds of citations for a job well done.
Sadly, the ability to individually recognize more than 14,000 students is simply impossible. But it is important to remember that while the spotlight might only shine on a few, we all have the ability to achieve greatness.
College provides a unique opportunity to dive into new experiences. Try the MTI program that pairs college students with young students looking for role models. Apply to become a service learning mentor and help students help the community. Look to become a URI 101 mentor.
The university offers hundreds, possibly thousands, of opportunities for students to become leaders. As one of the winners said yesterday, leadership is bred, not born. And only you can take that first step to become a leader.
The night clearly demonstrated that leaders fill every crevice of the University of Rhode Island campus. It also served as a reminder to those that did not share a moment in the spotlight that with a little ambition, anyone can rise to a level of greatness.
Astute students know that becoming involved with a student group, sport or organization leads to good things. The co-founders of the award-winning group, We're Offering Women Wisdom, were both finalists for the individual Rainville award. One winner is active with a Division I team and the other is a fixture in the College of Arts and Sciences office of the dean.
Students wary of taking the reins of a student group need only to look to the two individual student winners for proof that involvement and good grades are far from mutually exclusive.
Student leadership winner Jill Anderson holds an impressive 3.78 GPA and student employee winner Paula Arruda kept a 3.53 GPA. Anderson is co-captain of the softball team and Arruda is a full-time mom of a 5-year-old. The pair should serve as a model to any student who complains about being "too busy" to become involved.
And while the Rainville might be the biggest award around, it is not the only one. Each year departments, colleges, programs and groups award hundreds of citations for a job well done.
Sadly, the ability to individually recognize more than 14,000 students is simply impossible. But it is important to remember that while the spotlight might only shine on a few, we all have the ability to achieve greatness.
College provides a unique opportunity to dive into new experiences. Try the MTI program that pairs college students with young students looking for role models. Apply to become a service learning mentor and help students help the community. Look to become a URI 101 mentor.
The university offers hundreds, possibly thousands, of opportunities for students to become leaders. As one of the winners said yesterday, leadership is bred, not born. And only you can take that first step to become a leader.