|
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win,” –
Mahatma Gandhi
I would like to nominate Bob Just for March’s Advisor of the Month. This
quote seems to fit him perfectly because he is always trying to make a positive and
empowering change on Western’s campus, regardless of the personal and professional
struggles that he has had to face in order to accomplish these goals and ambitions. Bob advises countless student organizations on top of his professional and academic
responsibilities. One the organizations he advises is an anti-bullying focused group, Be The
Voice. This month, Bob has helped these students put together a campus wide program to
help raise awareness on bullying. Bob always gives motivation and recognition to the active
members of the club. He always brings an empowering attitude to all meetings to encourage
members to make a positive change on campus. Bob was approached by the Director of
Residence Life to be an advisor for this new organization, knowing the student who wanted to
start this club was a first year student, he willingly accepted the challenges that would come
with advising any new student organization. Bob is the graduate student advisor for the Caroline Grote Chapter of the National Residence
Hall Honorary. At every meeting and program we put on, Bob is always there to support,
encourage, motivate and empower our active members of NRHH. As the Recognition Chair of
NRRH, Bob helped me come up with new, exciting, creative, and innovative ways to motivate
the leaders on campus to submit Of The Months. After taking his advice the number of
quality submitted OTM’s in the month of March has reached the all time high of this academic
school year. Bob is constantly suggesting new leadership opportunities for the students to
explore and to help them grow and empower others.
“Leadership cannot be taught, it can only be learned." – Frank Ciofi #MyWordsMatter is a new organization on campus that started as a class assignment. After
Bob saw the support it received from the students and numerous student organizations, he
realized it was something he had to continue past the classroom walls. He refused to let the
campaign die off after seeing what a strong, positive impact it was barely beginning to make
on Western Illinois University’s student body. #MyWordsMatter campaign was recognized on
the national level as an educational program. Bob is constantly shoulder-tapping the students
who he thinks would be an empowering asset to the #MyWordsMatter Steering Committee.
What sets the month of March apart from the others? Well, during the month of March, a
member of the Greek community approached Bob to put on a program that they felt would
really benefit their organization. Bob brought it up to the Steering Committee, where they
then decided to move forward with the idea, knowing this was would not be the last
organization to approach them. The steering committee then got together to create an
educational program to put on for other student organizations. Without Bob’s motivating pep
talks that day, we would have thrown in the towel and not completed the challenge set before
us. The educational program is in its beginning stages and will make its first appearance
within the month of April. Thank you for considering Bob Just for March’s Advisor of the Month. It only takes one person
to empower another to create a positive change on campus.
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Harold R. McAlindon Word Count: 595
|