Semester Wrap-Up

Honestly, I did not think that I would make it to the end of this semester. This was truly the hardest semester of my entire academic career. Between transitioning to a full time position at my job, recovering from illness and finding stability in chaos it seemed that the odds were stacked against me. Several times I considered taking the semester off, dropping one of my majors or, at my lowest point, completely dropping out of school.

My excitement

The good thing about challenges is that you learn about yourself and what you are capable of. I learned that every opportunity that presents itself may not be for me. For so long I have pursued opportunities as if it is the last one that I'll ever get so, consequently, my plate is overflowing and my contribution to everything I am involved suffers. Going forward, I need to assess the opportunities that come my way and align them with my goals and interests. The problem is that I have not had the time to examine where I am headed or what I am interested in, but now I know I have to make that time.

The other thing that was reaffirmed was my commitment to my education. I powered through being sick and health uncertainty to still finish this semester (with flying colors I might add). But in this powering through and perseverance I found that I have to give myself what I need. It is not enough to have an exemplary grade point average if my spirit is lacking - and that is exactly what I was experiencing all academic year, quiet honestly.

I fully plan to implement what I have learned about myself to have a better final semester at Rockhurst. I am two classes away from having my degrees! #WhatAJourneyItHasBeen
#ThankYouGod

/qms/

Holocaust Remembrance Day

This has been my hardest semester at Rockhurst, but I have not let that stop me from participating in activities on campus.  Last month, I was invited by Campus Ministry to read the names of those murdered by Nazis in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day.  The experience was enlightening and chilling because I actually ended up reading a personal account of a Jewish person in a concentration camp.  The words that fell from my lips were horrifying.

Later on in the afternoon I participated in Yom HaShoah, a spiritual ceremony honoring the lives of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.  The experience was intensely spiritual and opened my eyes. 

I had always been aware of Holocaust Remembrance Day, having seen it on the calendar, but had never honored the lives of those who were mercilessly murdered during the Second World War.  The service was complete with beautiful singing and a historical account of a Jesuit priest who was murdered by Nazis. 

By the end of the ceremony I was speechless because it was one of those moments were I felt a true enlightenment and awareness of the global community.  All I could think about was, were would I have had this experience if I were not a Rockhurst student?  Going forward, I plan to honor these lives, much the same way I honor my ancestors and Civil Rights icons for their brave sacrifices for my benefit today.

#IHonorThoseLives

/qms/

A Lesson in Faith

I am not as spiritually faithful as I would like to be. Growing up faith was not a core component of how I was raised, we sporadically went to church and when we did none of it made any sense to me. As an adult, I have challenged myself to be more spiritually faithful; to walk in faith and to live in faith. My recent five-month bout with food poisoning revealed to me a lesson in faith that I never saw coming.

Throughout my entire life I have consistently been faithful about one thing, that being, that God has invested in me and my purpose in this life is to ensure I maximum that investment and give God the greatest return possible. In other words, I am clear that I have a gift and am purposed to share that gift with the world.

Because I operated from this space I had never considered how important it is for me to take care of myself because I always knew that God would never let anything happen to me without my purpose being fulfilled. Silly right?

Well being sick (for five months!) was surely a reality check. Being faithful does not excuse me from taking care of myself. I realized that being faithful does not mean that I exclusively rely on God to carry all the weight and then I just ride shot-gun. I have to have some skin in the game too! My extended illness became to quickly subside with this new awareness of knowing that taking care of my body is me holding up my end of the deal with God and, what's more, it deepened my faith.

It's great how God works.

/qms/

...Everything but the kitchen sink

As my time at Rockhurst inches closer to an end (fall 2013 graduate) the journey to the finish line is becoming an uphill mount. Time is flying and the pressure could not be more present. I will not say it is an unhealthy pressure, but it is certainly there and keeps me going nonstop. In fact, I had a small emotional breakdown this week because I am constantly feeling like the world is on my shoulders and there is never to moment to just be still.

I suppose all of this is very temporal but it does not make it any easier to balance.

Anyway, in the weeks since my lasting posting I have been hard at work on my Senior Capstone Project. The Senior Capstone Project is the final and culminating work of a Rockhurst graduate; in my case (for my particular paper) it is a research paper that details how to enhance operational efficiency at Synergy House (my place of employment). In addition to completing this paper, I have been trying to stay afloat in my Christianity II class. The class is not especially challenging, but it does require concentrated time to read and if there is anything I do not have enough of it is time. The same is true of the Macroeconomics class I am taking as well.

Furthermore, between delivering speeches (for a class), speech competitions, Pi Sigma Alpha responsibilities, working and just having a life I feel everything is being thrown my direction to challenge my ability to stay focused, endure and balance.

The finish line is too close to quit the race so I press on and I push through.

/qms/

Meeting the Mayor's

Pictured with Mayor James, Mayor Reardon, and Tess Hart, VP of Pi Sigma Alpha

There is never any shortage of activities at Rockhurst University and while I am a commuter student I try to participate in as many of the campus activities as possible in order to meet other students and fully immerse myself in the Rockhurst experience.

Last week, in honor of the first Ignatian Heritage week, Student Senate hosted a mayor's forum featuring three mayor's from the metro area: Carson Ross (of Blue Springs, Mo.), Sly James (of Kansas City, Mo.) and Joe Reardon (of the Unified Goverment of Kansas City Kansas and Wyandotte County) all of which alumni of Rockhurst University. Being a political nerd, this was incredibly exciting for me to attend this event. I was especially honored to be asked to escort Mayor James for the evening as the president of the Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science Honor's Organization. 

There were several things that I wanted to speak with him about especially regarding some of my post-graduate interest. Knowing that Mayor James went to law school after graduating from Rockhurst I was curious to get his insight about his law school experience. Mayor James encouraged me not to undertake going to law school if I have no plans to practice law. Additionally, he encouraged me to rethink my political aspirations. He reminded me that all politics are local, therefore, it becomes far too challenging to truly impact the community when you pursue federal office. His wisdom reminded me of my truest motivation behind being interested in pursuing a career in public service; whether as an elected official or not.

During the forum I beamed with pride watching these three men harness the lessons of Rockhurst and use them to change the world. It inspired me and made me proud to be a Rockhurst Hawk. Indeed, the bar has been set and the expectation is high, but I am sure to make this institution as proud of me as I am of it.

/qms/

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it.

Spring break always zips by. You wake up Monday and in the blink of an eye it's Friday. Well this spring break was no different, with the exception of some welcome and reaffirming recognition from the Kansas City Star.

Wednesday, I was contacted by the Public Relations office at Rockhurst and asked to be interviewed by a journalist at the Kansas City Star writing a story about students who work full-time and go to school full-time. I jumped at the opportunity. People inherently know the challenge of balancing school, work and life but it rarely gets a concentrated examination.

The article, "Students scramble to make college work" profiles the school-work balance of students from various institutions in the metropolitan area. I was tremendously honored to represent Rockhurst in the news article, as well as, explain to the journalist all the life-changing teachings Rockhurst has bestowed upon me that has made me a more well-rounded and informed individual.

This recognition is surely divine. Another example of how God works.

This week I had a friend tell me that I am consistently focused on what I have not accomplished and, therefore, can never appreciate what I do accomplish. I know this is fueled by my sense of running behind and have not ever dealt with that monkey on my back. But surely, this recognition is an opportunity for me to begin celebrate the small victories.

#CelebrateTheSmallWins

/qms/

An Ode to Group Project (sarcasm)

I do not typically get on my soap box about much, but this semester I have a group project in a class that is so intricate and involved that it makes me want to scream! So I composed a poem to the group project and the professors who so willfully assign them.

An Ode to Group Project

By Quentin Savwoir

Group project, group project

How you bring such joy.

How being paired with complete strangers

Who do not share my same work ethic

Brings me a euphoria that words can't express.

Your inherent imbalance is especially joyous.

Being the lonesome soul, in your company,

When, indeed, it should be shared 

Is, what I imagine, being a single parent is like.

I wish professors assigned you more, Group Project

Clearly they do not understand how we adore thee.

How the very sound of your name 

Or reading of your presence in a course syllabus

Tie our stomachs into knots 

Or cause that collective harmonious 

"Ugh" (sigh) 

In any class.   

Maybe professors don't assign you more Group Project

Because they think we have other classes

And can't give you the time you deserve and require.

Perhaps they think we would whether work alone and 

Be accountable for ourselves, 

But surely they could not think this the case

For we live in a collectivists society.

Oh, Group Project

Perhaps one day we shall become better acquainted 

But until then

These words, for you.

/qms/ 


PS. I am not an English major, nor do I fancy myself a creative writer. I just wanted to express myself in an artistic and expressive while maintaining a level of tact. Additionally, I understand that working in groups is part of the Jesuit tradition of cooperative learning, but geez the group project that inspired this poem is so incredibly extra (code work for way too much!).