Change is here at NGLA and I.Love.It!!

Good morning!

Yesterday was a long and FANtastic day!! We started off the day with a great session with Josh Orendi and challenged the group to be "here of the purpose and not just an attendee". I loved that because it really puts the focus on how WE hold the key to our future. We have the power to make positive change if we live in the moment. Loved it. Josh showed a great youtube video with basketball passing and a random moonwalking bear (yes I know.. that sounds weird but.. I can explain later) At the end it said "It's easy to miss something you're not looking at" AH HA! Really... how many times do we miss the real learning moments because we aren't looking. I'm excited for our students to get back to campus and start looking for our moonwalking bears.

I had the priviledge to present 2 workshops and facilitate a small group for the NIC Drive Forward project. I really enjoy presenting so it is a great way to feel very connected to the conference conversation. Kim and Thea and I presented on Lifetime Membership and how to stay involved after college. Kim and I went back to back and talked about our expansion/extension experience on our campuses. I finished up with my small group by closing the gap on our conversation on spheres of influence, preparing for confronting the barriors, and putting together an action plan for change!

By dinner time we were exhausted and hungry but we teamed up with our fraternal brothers and sisters at Quinnipiac University to venture out for dinner! All 23 of us!! We were luckily able to be seated right away and it was great to spend time with Courtney (QU) and her grad assistant Nicole. The QU and BSU students were a great combo.. even in their dancing the 'dougie'. Bears and Bobcats UNITE!!

We got back to the hotel and some of the cubs were too tired for board games so postponed the Pajama Jammy Jam to Saturday night (tonight) I did however spend 3 hours in the "guys room" having some great conversations on how we can move our fraternity community forward, how to address the 'moonwalking bears', and as a group how we can best work together. I feel really lucky to have men who want positive change and are passionate about getting there (even if we all have different ideas of how to do it). So shout out to my guys for a great conversation! You guys are awesome and truly make me proud <3

We had a GREAT opening session this morning on the Fraternal History of Greek Life and while difficult to visually see some of the negative behaviors of our members I know the BSU Greeks left feeling the sense of urgency we need to challenge our community to do better and be better in the future.

I hope all my BSU Greek peeps at home are enjoying the blog!! Are there topics you can't wait to hear about when we get back??

much BSU Greek life love,
mb