Why me?

The vocation of leadership is relatively new to me. It began in the junior year in high school with a thought about people and events coming to life from the old pages of history books. It all started with my great admiration of men and women who made history. I pondered upon these great souls and wondered about a simple possibility of “what if”. What if I was in their shoes, in their place, in their bodies facing that very event in that very moment? What will I do? How will I do it? Why will I do it? This reoccurring series of questions filled my mind from time to time. It was not long that I realized that looking up to great men and women of history will end up deeply looking back to myself. An amazement of history was turned into a personal quest for meaning. It is in this constant retrospective exercise and eagerness to touch and experience the world in flux that widened my view and saw the greater picture of reality. Leadership is not anymore out there to gain as what I previously saw but an inward search for the self which I will nurture and share. These great realizations from simple questions started it all.

one of the people I look up to

It was in the junction between my college and high school life where my appropriation of leadership took root. It has transcended from the quest of meaning to a level where loving service is its perfect manifestation. Bearing these strengths of the self into good fruits is the prime challenge of leadership. This is what I passionately believe in. Leadership is all about taking care of the heart and the mind by grounding it on faith, filling it with good matter, with good thoughts, and good intentions, and animating them through different acts of service; a committed and loving service whose forefront are the less fortunate, the people who can’t even think for themselves and especially those who don’t even care.

Now that I am I a new context – college life, a new level of maturity, and a new level of responsibility, it is only fitting and appropriate to give back what I am gaining, what I love, and what I am learning in proportion to a larger and greater community – XU. It is in this manner that I can fully express my love and faith through the community and through the lives I serve. I ran because of this faith that calls me to do more for others than what is being called for. This is why I am running for office, the CSG vice-presidency in particular. (Positions help to get your point across quickly and effectively). The powers and responsibilities that entail this office are instrumental in the promotion of justice in a larger scale through its legislative power and the holistic development of students through its representative function. As the convenor of the Directorate, I have the capacity to mediate the strengths, the ideas, and the energies of the different councils and organizations. This position can be exercised to significantly develop how organizations and councils are being led. Aside from its pivot role, it also serves as the legislative body that could directly address concerns and needs of the students.

In the eternal words of Fr. Arrupe, “Fall in love, stay in love, it will decide everything”. I decided to fall and stay in love in the belief that a community’s greatest possible potential can only come to life through a leadership that is grounded on faith in God and love of self and others which I hold so dearly.