A message to Freshmen FFP leaders

I got an accidental chance to share a very brief testimonial to a large group of freshmen students for ACLD. When I saw them, I got reminded of my own freshmen year – a year of emotional ironies; from excitement to anxieties, passivity and seriousness. But in that gathering, there is one thing that holds them together. That somehow, they demonstrated a sense of leadership in their class which led them to take the position of FFP team leader.

Reviewing the road I took, I can really now say that this first opportunity to lead has tremendous value. You see, I never had that opportunity to “shepherd” eager classmates in my first year. I could recall our team leader always checking our attendance and requirements, plotting the dates of our group prayer and sharing, and delegating tasks for the numerous projects of FFP. These are the very basic of leadership and this can all well be nurtured in your given position.

In our sharing, I think it is an understatement to say that we have overemphasized the process of self-mastery. We are trained to marry the process and it is an absolute necessity in leadership. So I begin by encouraging all freshmen to explore their surroundings, get to know new people aside from your high school friends or block mates (ACLD network is one good venue), and get to engage with different opportunities offered by the school and your community (FFP immersion, outreach, NSTP). These are great venues to discover the miracle of you. I say this with the assumption that you posses a degree of confidence and people skill that made you a “leader” in the first place.

I also suggest that you keenly observe your surroundings and start spotting areas where you feel you can do something about and if you want to involve in a student organization, I believe there are already existing organizations that are geared towards amending these areas for improvements. In this process, you can link your personal interests and the area of change you want to work for in your college years.

That is my advice. I believe college can be lived to the fullest if you take an extra mile to consciously know yourself and with that knowledge and appreciation that goes with it, translate it to concrete acts of service for others. Aside from this basic notion, a deeper reason exists that I found very important once you start your leadership journey in Xavier. It is knowing that we are all educated or pulled out from society in a sense so we can learn and every time we return to society (the real world outside the walls of XU) it is a moral duty for us to translate that education into works of justice – making a difference in the lives of others. Four years in Xavier is too short for a freshman with a flaming heart to lead and serve. Start now.