Michael on the way things work out

I recently took the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Early on, I had scored well on practice tests and it led me to a degree of complacency about preparation for the test. I took it in October and felt fairly good about the experience and the likelihood of my having a satisfactory score. I got my test scores back a few weeks later and they were significantly lower than what I had anticipated.

I can't say that I wasn't disappointed or that I didn't freak out. I spent the entire weekend pitying myself and questioning my future. After a few days of moping and blaming anything and everyone but myself, I owned up to my disappointment. I still had a score that would get me in to several places I had been looking at prior to the test, and I decided to look at others that were still possibilities.

Interestingly enough, I found law schools that were far more appealing to me than the schools I was looking at before. Although I got a lower score and may end up attending a law school with a slightly lower ranking than where I thought I might've gone, I was able to locate several programs that are perfectly suited to the type of career I hope to have. This experience was an excellent example of the ways in which failure, or the perception of failure, can sometimes lead to a larger success.

Michael on privilege

Academically and experientially, Wofford has taught me a great deal about what identity and identity politics mean. In the classroom, courses dealing with topics such such as feminist philosophy, postcolonial politics, American race relations, gender/queer theory, nationalism, and a variety of others have shown me how incredibly important social constructions of identity can be.

One of the toughest parts of having acquired an admittedly rudimentary understanding of these issues is the impossibility of refusing privilege. For example, I would never want to be privileged in any situation because of my race; however, I know that it happens every day, in countless invisible ways. I never want to be privileged because I am male, but it's hard to always see it happening. I never want to be privileged because of the assumption of "middleclassness," but I realize when I say that I go to Wofford what a loaded statement that is.

Service has bolstered my understanding of this problem as well, albeit in different ways. Texts about oppression based on identity are a far different matter than seeing that oppression firsthand. Bonner allowed me to study abroad in Africa, a continent fallen victim to identity-based disempowerment. Even within Uganda, certain groups (the Baganda being a strong example) experienced tremendous privilege due to ethnic identification - no matter how politically aware they were of that phenomena as a problem.

Rachel on the varieties of love

In one of my Spanish classes we have been reading the works of a famous Latin American writer named Carlos Fuentes. One of his books is called “En Esto Creo A/Z” this translates to “In This I Believe A-Z.” In this book he constructs a type of “dictionary for life” in which he alphabetically list different topics that are meaningful to his life and writes about them. One of my favorite topics is when he speaks of love and the many forms in which it can exist. One of the points in this section is what he calls the quality of attention, love as in the act of paying attention. He goes on to say to give someone your attention and to be open to receive their attention is a creative faculty and its condition is love. Perhaps my translation does not give it justice but in this quote he suggests that giving someone your undivided attention is the highest expression of love, in that time and better yet quality time is the best gift you could give someone as a representation of your love. If I could only pass down one bit of wisdom it would be that. The act of paying attention to another person is important whether it be to your family, friends, or random people you encounter throughout the day. The gift of time is the best present that a person can give so I suggest it be given wisely and with purpose. This is my nugget of knowledge that I still have to learn and practice myself…

Hannah on her inspiration to serve

As noted before, I volunteer at the Cleveland Elementary Boys and Girls Club 3 to 4 times a week. Each day I show up right after school and begin to work with the first graders. When I first started volunteering I was not close with any of the kids. I helped whoever needed help the most on their homework, and at the same time tried to assist all of the kids as much as I could. Slowly, I became closer to a few of the children and (off the record) started to pick favorites. I knew these kids came from lower income homes, and I knew they did not have much… but I did not know that one of their stories would touch me more than anything else ever has.

Darionna is the reason I LOVE the Boys and Girls Club. She never stops smiling, never says a nasty word, and never stops helping her peers. What is the most shocking is that Darionna’s story is more heart wrenching than any other child’s story at the Boys and Girls Club. She is now close enough to me where she tells me her problems (not to mention this is a girl who worries about everyone but herself). I cannot help but wonder how she keeps going. So many of the kids I work with are rude, have attitudes, and almost seem to hold a grudge towards life. It is strange to see one tiny (TINY!) little girl be so happy and loving when she holds the story that she does.

We can all learn from Darionna. I know I have. We live one life and no matter what adversities life brings us we need to keep going. I cannot tell you how many times I have cried for her, but I can tell you she brings light into my life and I can only wish to be as strong and brave as she is.

Rachel on science and faith

"But we humans seem to posses a deep longing to find truth, even though that longing is easily suppressed by the mundane details of daily life"
-Francis Collins (The Language of God)

This has to be one of my favorite recent quotes I have found! I read this book over the summer that deals with the correlation between science and religion. Most people have a perspective that science and religion are at different ends of the spectrum; much like angry sisters that never talk to each other unless forced to during family reunions. Since I am a science major (…cough…Biology) and my faith is very important, the combination of the two really interested me. The author of the book is the head scientist who led the sequencing of the Human Genome Project (huge scientific milestone!) yet he is a strong Christian. He states this quote near the beginning of the book, and I think it’s so applicable and helps calm the “ongoing feud” between science and religion. They both seek truth whether it is through experimental methods of trial and error in science or through the longing of the heart and mind in religious matters. Science seeks the answer to how questions and the religion picks up where science cannot go answering the why questions. We all seek truth and the beauty of it is that it can be found harmoniously in both science and religion. I guess it can be said that the service I do is my own scientific method of seeking that truth. I do office projects, interact with patients, ask questions and find information about Hospice as an experimental method of finding the social problems that I would otherwise not understand in hopes to one day contribute to a solution. My faith helps me answer the questions that my experience cannot. The hardest question of why people are suffering can only be answered in the comforting arms of my faith.

Whitney on giving thanks

This Thanksgiving, I enjoyed gathering around the dining room table with my family once again, and sharing a special feast filled with my favorite soul foods. My grandmother, aunts, and uncles all cooked turkey, baked chicken, green beans, macaroni-n-cheese, potato salad, sweet-potato pie (and a lot more) for dinner. As usual we reminisced on unforgettable moments, joked around, and renewed acquaintances. My cousins and I talked about how college is going, our future goals, and how we were all dreading exams. After dinner, my family and I drew names for our secret Santa this year and expressed our thanks.

Besides the good food and conversation, what I enjoyed most was listening to everyone state what they were thankful for. Hearing everyone’s unique statements made me reflect on all the things I was thankful for. I thought about the trials I experienced this year and the challenges I was able to overcome, which then led me to realize that I could not have done these things if it weren’t for the love and support from family and friends God has blessed me with. Through my service work and experience with the Bonner program I have met people that do not have that opportunity. Therefore, this year I’m thankful for their support and simply having the opportunity to spend my Thanksgiving with them again. Furthermore, I am thankful for having the opportunity to be a Bonner Scholar. Bonner has helped me to learn a lot about myself and has led me to develop a desire to give back to my family, friends, and community.

Jose on appreciating what we have

On Sundays I regularly attend the Hispanic mass at the Jesus Our Risen Savior with my family. This past Sunday mass was different from most of the previous Sundays because we had a special guest priest that came from Colombia. He was different from the other Colombian priests that came to visit our parish because he didn’t belong to a specific church. In the past few years he has worked as a missionary, traveling with another collegue across Africa, in hopes of alleviating extreme poverty. Growing up in poverty as a child, he thought he was familiar with the sadness in a parent’s eye when they knew they didn’t make enough to keep food in their child’s belly, but according to him, he was not even close to relating to what he saw in some villages. He saw parents watch their kids die daily. In some of the places he visited the meals consisted of water and some type of blood with a bread, mainly composed of a corn based dough. Whenever he had a little extra food for the kids in the village he always had the little ones asking for more. He said in Spanish, “Anything that you put in front of them they will eat.” Instead, he said with serious humor, it’s funny how our kids in America whine about what’s put on their plates, and refuse to eat. He then continued to try to get his point across to all of us that were listening, mostly those in the immigrant community, that we forget our ways when we come to the states. He pointed out the way, many immigrants start the habit of wasting material and food here in the U.S. that many of us did not do back in our country, which is true. We have forgotten our roots. You hear it a lot from your parents when you were younger to not waste food, or see commercials of starving kids, but somehow it never seems to click. I thought real hard of what he was saying to us, and how we could fix our bad habits. It’s not about what is on your plate, it’s about giving to others that don’t have as much on their plate. Many of us already have a lot on our plate, and we to tend to develop habits of wanting more. I have been guilty of this bad habit. Instead we need to share our abundance. Hopefully during the upcoming holidays we will not forget others who do not have as much on their plate. Soup kitchens always need a helping hand, or just food. If you have a little extra from your party, swing by, and give a little off your plate.

Hannah on anger

"Anger is one letter away from danger." This is a quote I found written on my "neighbor's" mirror. It was really funny at first, because she is the sweetest person in the world and this quote seems to be something she lives by. As the semester has gone on, this Dr. Phil quote has really grown on me. I think about it all the time; at first just to laugh, but now I see it differently. I look at my neighbor, Amy Horton, I notice where she wrote it in her room, and I begin to think this stupid quote makes a difference. If you do not know Amy, I suggest you get to know her. She is very admirable. Not just because she is smart, pretty, and social, but also because she has more self control than anyone I have ever met. I get angry very easily… over the most ridiculous things. Surrounding myself around people like Amy makes me realize life is too short to be angry. Anger is one letter away from danger: danger of wasting your time upset when you could be enjoying another aspect of life.

An example of useless anger: If you read Michael Vaughn’s first blog (if you did not go read it!), a similar incident occurred in my most recent time at the mall. I was waiting in line at Belk’s, and the man in front of me was buying a winter coat. The lady seemed to be getting very aggravated with him because he did not understand English well enough to respond to her “persistent cashier” request to apply for a credit card. She eventually threw down her pen and said, “Just give me your money”. Now is left a man who feels terrible for not understanding and a lady determined to take her anger out on everyone who crosses her path in that department store. Life throws tough times at us, but the ride is only fun if we want it to be. My parents always tell me to enjoy each task I encounter, and they are right. We can all look up to Amy who can smile even when the world is clouding her day.
Remember next time you are about to get angry: Anger is one letter away from danger.

Michael on Assata Shakur

Love is contraband in Hell,
cause love is a acid
that eats away bars.
But you, me, and tomorrow
hold hands and make vows
that struggle will multiply.
The hacksaw has two blades.
The shotgun has two barrels.
We are pregnant with freedom.
We are a conspiracy.
It is our duty to fight for our freedom
It is our duty to win
We must love each other and support each other.
We have nothing to lose but our chains. --Assata Shakur

I read Assata Shakur’s autobiography in Dr. Jim Neighbors’ African-American Literature class this semester. While the narrative of the book (and of Assata’s life) was incredibly compelling, her poetry spoke to me most. Assata may be a controversial figure, but her brilliance cannot be denied.

Assata’s service to this country has been multifaceted, and the price she paid has been great. Thought by many (including myself) to have been persecuted by the American government for her radical politics, Assata is currently an exile living in Cuba. Her life story is a beautiful documentation of the impotence oppression creates in its victims. Spurred to an underground, seditious lifestyle by her inability to enact social change she saw as essential, Assata can be read as militant or misguided. However, anyone involved in the pursuit of social justice can understand the rage that led her to her actions; sometimes, the hardest part of being a community servant is accepting that the community can be so resistant to change. She has been an inspiration to me in recent months in my own service; the social consciousness she has helped to create has reminded me that, while the fight is often hard, perseverance pays off.

Reading her autobiography so close to the election was also an experience in and of itself. Her efforts, along with the service of countless others, created the climate in which Barack Obama could be elected President. While she may be considered dangerous and treacherous, she was an important part of a dramatic shift in American politics. Many compare Barack Obama to other inspirational figures of the civil rights movement, particularly Martin Luther King. I think we owe a debt of gratitude to Assata as well, regardless of whether we agree with her methods.

This poem specifically is meaningful to me in the context of the passage of Proposition 8 in California. LGBT Americans throughout the country would do well to remember that the best way to win this battle is by continuing to love one another – making a political statement through the purest of human connections.

Whitney on the presidential election

This year’s presidential election has been one of the most historical elections so far, and I’m glad that I was able to play some part in it. This year was my first time voting and not only was I excited about being able to vote, but I was also excited because the democratic candidate was a minority. Barack Obama is one of the strongest African American leaders since Martin Luther King Jr. His powerful words and influential speeches have touched the hearts of many (including myself) and have given hope to those who were in doubt of our government system. The fact that an African American man succeeded above other great democratic leaders and made it to the final stage of the election is amazing. His success and his goals to improve the government in a way that will benefit all classes of society made me even more excited to vote and influenced me to learn more about politics and our government system.

Therefore, on October 31, 2008 I stood in line at the polls in my home town for three hours so that I could vote. (I had planned to wait until Election Day but, after I found out that I could vote early, I took advantage of it.) Even though the process was terribly long, I felt a sense of accomplishment after I voted. On November 4, the night of Election Day, after I heard the final results that Barack Obama was voted the next president of the United States, I literally screamed! After a minute of yelling and jumping up and down in excitement, I called my mom to see if she had heard the news, and she was overjoyed also. I watched CNN show live footage of all the democrats that stood together at the Democratic Election Party yelling with pride, “Yes We Can”, as President Barack Obama ended his victory speech, giving them and the rest of the nation more assurance of a positive future for America. I personally believe that the new president, Barack Obama, can change this nation for the better so that everyone can share a part in the American dream.

Rachel on pitying those in need

October 29th, 2008 was a big day for me, because on that day I was privileged to have an awesome conversation with a man that was 98 years old! As I think about that I am blown away because this means he was born in 1910. Imagine what he has seen and been a part of; all of the things that I have only read and dreamt about. He was telling me that he served in WWII and he was showing me some newspaper clippings that he had hung up on his wall that commemorated his achievements. He currently lives in a nursing home and is in a wheel chair. Sometimes I go to these places and feel pity for the people that are there because I see there situation and it looks so hopeless and sad. It’s easy to get caught up in pity when you are looking at the outside circumstances or a person’s appearance. What I have come to realize is that the last thing these people need is pity. The beauty I have come to see lies in listening to their life story and through that celebrating the life they have lived. To pity them is to pity their life and that would be a true disgrace to who they are! My newfound friend turned out to be quite a chatterbox. He told me about some of his job experiences after the war and proceeded to give me advice on how I should NOT do drugs. Pretty sound advice if you ask me! He also suggested that if I get into a healthcare career I should make sure I know what I am doing so as to avoid making simple mistakes like some people he knew! He tended to repeat or should I say reinforce some of the things he said but that was fine by me since it helped me to remember it better, and I figure good advice should be remembered, right? I hope to visit my new friend soon and do a little more celebrating of his life by hearing all his amazing adventures!

Whitney on fair trade

This week a Building Better Community event was held on campus by the Wofford College Go Green initiative about the Fair Trade system. The speaker, P’Nok, a Thai community organizer, traveled and researched the Fair Trade system worldwide. P’Nok began her research as a representative for the villagers and farmers of Thailand who were not bringing in the proper amount of income due to the poor Fair Trading system. Thailand used to export a variety of produce however, since the Green Revolution, which was similar to the U.S.’s Industrial Revolution, Thailand was forced to shift to monoculture and began producing only rice. They also had to resort to adding chemicals to their produce. Their government was convinced that this strategy would help them earn a higher income. Instead it backfired due to the high cost of the chemicals. Also multi-national corporations, like Wal-Mart, gained control of the market systems and influenced the cycle of food production, causing grocery stores to earn more money and farmers to earn less money. These issues led to a cycle of debt for the farmers and many families had to send their children to other places to help earn more money. However, not only did these issues affect farmers, they also affected consumers. Most consumers do not know where their food comes from or what chemicals or hormones may have been added to them, which can also affect health. To keep these issues from getting worse, charities such as OXFAM (United States) work to improve the Fair Trade system. P’Nok spoke about Fair Market Capitalism, which helps to eliminate the middle man during the trading process in order to help small producers. She also mentioned attempts to maintain the Organic Certification System to meet USDA standards. Farmers in Thailand are now trying to produce a variety of crops by their culture’s traditional farming. By using these strategies, farmers can work to build a more sustainable agriculture and better security in the food system.

Hearing P’Nok address these issues raised my awareness of what I choose to consume. Many students and young adults are so busy getting fast food or buying low priced food from multi-national corporations that they do not think twice about what they may be eating or where it may come from. I think that more young adults should be more aware of these issues also because, not only will it affect them, but it may also affect later generations (their children). Since we have alternatives, such as organic food and food brands that support fair trade, the main concern now is whether or not we’ll choose to use them.

Jose on his future

As a child, I struggled to figure out what I would want to do when I grow up. I couldn’t think of a career that I was passionate about. It was pitiful. I would copy my younger brother on career day. I wanted to be somebody who truly enjoyed their job. As weird as it may sound, I actually wanted to be my mom for career day. I wanted to just cook in the kitchen like her, and make people happy with her delicious treats and different array of deserts. My brother would make fun of me, and call me a woman. It’s funny now, but it hurt back then. I wanted the “perfect job”, a job that would bring complete joy and happiness to my life. For a long time I remained without an answer when I was asked what I wanted to be when I’d grow up. I eventually put my desire for true happiness aside, and consequently the desperate search for the “perfect job” faded. As I matured, I learned how the world worked, and I became more realistic. I learned that in order to survive in this world you need money. I realized that in this world if you want to “live happy” and “comfortably” it’s crucial to have a job that pays well. However, living comfortably can bring happiness, but only to a certain extent. There’s nothing wrong with pursuing the ideal life of financial success and stability.

However, for myself, I feel that in order to find true happiness you have to go find it. It’s something that I am in search for, and has eaten me alive for years. It’s taken me till now to realize that the “perfect job” was what I originally wanted to do when I was younger. Not a housewife, but a job where I can makes others happy, and I’ve gotten a feel for that through serving others this past month. I really enjoy working at all my service sites. So far, it has rewarded me with the greatest feeling of satisfaction, which is all I have ever asked for. I haven’t found the “perfect job” yet, but ’m so blessed to have the opportunity to make others happy. Through my service sites I’m getting a feel for the career I’ve always been looking for: a career where I’m always ready to help others.

Hannah on her most audacious dreams

What are your most precious and perhaps most audacious dreams? What would it mean for you if you achieved these dreams? Develop a plan for doing so.

I have lived in six different houses located in 2 different towns/states and now I live on the second floor of Greene at Wofford College. Moving is hard, but I fully support the idea that the change of moving and being outside of your comfort zone is helpful to growth as a person. Of course, it took moving for me to learn this. It is the people you meet when you move, the troubles you are faced with, and the experiences that are brought to you that make the difference. By learning this I have discovered my most precious and perhaps most audacious dreams: to travel as much as possible and learn from the people around me.

I have been out of the country once, and I am so ashamed to admit that. Just from that one experience in Jamaica I could talk for hours on end about the culture, the poverty, the amazing people, and their lack of skills while driving a jet ski. I have to bite my tongue when I hear a naïve person say he or she has no desire to see the rest of the world. How can we be so small minded in the USA to think our culture is the most exciting? Please, I would much rather dance all night to a reggae band, see the Great Wall of China, stay with a family in Spain, and in doing so learn from the people that surround me.

Mark my word; my 4 years at Wofford will consist of multiple travels inside and outside of the United States. Then again, Wofford makes it extremely easy to travel abroad and we would be half crazy to pass up that opportunity. For me to achieve this goal of traveling the world would bring wisdom and memories that no one could take away from me.

Michael on doing what is right

When have you stood up to someone or something, even at risk to yourself, for what you knew was right? What was it? How did it make you feel? What would have happened if you hadn’t acted? How does it feel to acknowledge that?

I went to the Citgo close to Wofford a few weeks back to get gas. I parked and walked into the store, which was more crowded than it usually was. Two Latino men were in the store that looked like road workers – they were wearing blue jumpsuits and were covered in what looked like tar. One of them was being yelled at by the cashier at the register. It was clear that his spoken English was fairly limited and that she was unable to convey some kind of information to him. While several other customers and I waited, she berated him for not understanding the directions she was giving. They finally sorted out their problem and the two men went on their way.

As they started to walk out the door the woman at the register began speaking with the customers in line in front of me. “These damn illegals,” she opined in a deep southern drawl. “Can’t do nothing with them. Coming in here and don’t know how to pump gas. They takin’ people’s jobs and don’t know how to pump their own damn gas.” The people in front of me, several African-Americans, shifted and looked at the floor while she complained. Her monologue continued until I was at the counter. “Ten dollars in gas, please,” I asked, hoping that her tirade would cease as she punched the register. It didn’t. She began it anew, in fact – as if I hadn’t been able to hear her conversation with the people waiting in front of me. “Did you see them Mexicans? It is just ridiculous,” she asked. “I don’t even know what to do when the Mexicans come in. They never know anything.” I didn’t respond, swiped my card, and walked out without a word to her after that.

I went and sat in my car for a few moments without turning the car on. I thought about the things she had said – some in earshot of the Latino workers, and much more after they had gone. They were unable to defend themselves against her anger or her backbiting comments after they left. The people in the store, including myself, had sat idly by while she spewed a racist, elitist diatribe against them. I went back inside the store.

I opened the door and stood in the frame. All of the customers had gone and she was sitting on a stool behind the counter. “Excuse me,” I said. “I want to say to you that you are a bigot, and you have no right to talk about anyone in the way you just were.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” she responded defensively. “I didn’t mean no harm.”

“You’ve lost my business permanently,” I informed her. “Next time, think about who is listening before you start running your mouth.” I left the store in a hurry.

I immediately regretted losing my temper. That’s not the way to change anything or anyone. I couldn’t help but be filled with anger given the situation. It made me think about times in which I am defenseless against what people say. I know how I’d feel if I was in the position of those Latino men. And I know how much worse I’d feel if nobody else recognized it being wrong.

I doubt that the woman at Citgo has changed her attitudes towards Latin American immigrants. I don’t know that she ever will. What I hope she did realize is that if she disparages a group of people when no representatives of that group are near her, she still can get herself into trouble for it. I hope she sees now that it is possible to be offensive without offending someone on an individual basis. And, fundamentally, I hope she can learn to show tolerant attitudes in her public work place – no one should have to listen to hateful speech when trying to buy their gas.

Rachel on changing service sites this year

From my time with Hospice I have learned that the organization is not about death but the quality of life a patient should have while he or she still has life. Their goals are for the patient to be as pain free and comfortable as possible. They do these things by letting the patient stay at home and also by bringing the healthcare needs to them. They also provide medication that will alleviate the pain and yet make it possible for them to be cognitive to the outside world. They have a whole team of people that work with each individual patient and their families. They have social workers that make sure that the caretakers are treating the patient properly and also assess any outside help the family might need (food stamps, utility bills, etc). They have nurses that come twice to three times a week to assist the patient with any medical needs or complications. They have chaplains and volunteers who upon request will come and give spiritual support and companionship. This team of diverse people combines in unison to ensure that the patient feels loved and cared. As a volunteer it is really exciting to be part of the large picture that ensures people live an optimal life and die with dignity.

Since I plan to go into the medical profession and it would be in my best interest to be accustomed to the idea of death and to see if I am able to cope with it when it is happening around me, I chose this site at my Bonner work for the semester. Rarely do I think of dying or people in my family dying but the reality is that everyone will die eventually. In our society we rarely talk about it and therefore treat it as an unspoken disease, but the truth of the matter is that it is a natural part of life. We see it all around us in nature through the season every year as flowers blossom and wither after their time has ended. It makes me wonder why we avoid such an unavoidable part of life. I feel that we disregard it because of fear and uncertainty of what happens next. What I love about Hospice is that it is there to give you comfort in the hour of your highest need. It celebrates the life you have lived and allows you to live the rest of your life to a worthy ending like ending of the last chapter to a great book. Life should be cherished and celebrated; death should be seen as the end to a new beginning. It might be that through this experience I realize that I cannot cope well with people dying or that it takes too much of an emotional toll on me. If this is the case then it will give me a great insight in the type of career I should avoid and an understanding of my own limits. Regargless of the results, I will be glad for whatever the lesson might be.

A more personal reason I want to work at hospice is to perhaps get a better appreciation of life and what life truly means. Some days I get caught in the hustle and bustle of the day and forget to look at the beauty around me. I will at times get so engulfed in my work and my “to do list” that I miss time to spend with the people that matter most in my life (family and friends). Being there for people and sharing time with them is perhaps the noblest cause because time is the best resource we can give anybody. Either way this service site turns out I feel that I will have gained a lot more then I bargained for such a great experience.

Jose on what he's grateful for

I remember last night at my service site what Mabel, an elderly volunteer at St. Luke’s, said after we were talking about the places we’ve visited. I didn’t have much to say, but Mabel did. Her whole tale was exciting and certainly worthwhile. I don’t know if it was the small plane that she rode across the Venezuelan desert or her adventures in Peru, but somehow, shortly after she was done with her tales of the past, she blew me away and left me thinking about my own life. Mabel began describing the last couple of years of her widow’s life as a “blessing”. “Health is a one of the greatest blessings in this life” she explained. Just after these last few words came out of her small and perfectly wrinkled little mouth and before she went back to her corner, she said to me, “I don’t know what I did to deserve this.” The phrase stuck in my mind. I was simply left with a phrase that had so much meaning, and I related it to my own life. “What did Jose Reyes do to deserve such a good life?” What deserving deed did he do to become a Bonner Scholar? I just thought to myself, “I guess I’m just grateful.”

In the past month I’ve started working the front desk at St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic where it has been quite the life experience. It has opened my eyes and allowed me to reach a whole new level of meaning and gratefulness. Far too often it is easier to forget how good one has it and not understand how important it is to be grateful, for all of the blessings of life. But seeing others in need and just simply looking around, I am reminded of the great blessings of my own life. For the question, “What am I grateful for”, for myself, cannot be summed up in a word. It’s an endless possibility of answers. I’m grateful for everything that God has blessed me with throughout my whole life. So in that aspect, I’m grateful for all his blessings. The blessing of coming to a great school, and being part of a phenomenal Bonner Scholars program that has begun to change myself as a person, is one that I am tremendously grateful for. Through serving others in the past month I’ve not only been appreciative of having good health and strength, but I have instead used this blessing to help others that are hungry or sick. Working at the soup kitchen, I try my best to be as friendly as possible. Even if people seem down and are probably going through the hardest of situations, I try my best to always bring a smile or laugh to others. Sharing that little bit of happiness can always make the difference between going through a rough time alone and going through a rough time with a helping hand. Even if I don’t have an important job yet, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help others in need. Hopefully one day I can pass this positive energy I have acquired onto others. I hope to gain leadership skills along the way, but for right now I’m just beginning to learn the ropes of becoming a better Bonner Scholar. Serving others through this program is the least I can do to show my gratefulness in having the privilege of being put into the Bonner program.

Whitney on the creation of Wofford Women of Color

Last year a group of female minority students, including myself, noticed that there were not any organizations available that were strictly for minority women. We knew that there was the Association of Multicultural Students, but it included males, and there were four different sororities available also, but they were mostly predominantly white women and some of us did not want to be apart of a sorority. Most women at Wofford are predominantly Caucasian women and sometimes it was hard for us to relate to them. We wanted our own group, our own organization that we could be apart of. Most of all we wanted to be apart of a group of women that related to one another.

At the beginning of the year during January Interim, senior Ashleigh Wilson decided to be the first to step up and form a project to try to get the club started. Everyone found out by word of mouth about her effort to finally create an organization for minority women at Wofford. She emailed every minority woman at Wofford and set a date to meet and talk about her project. The meeting turned out to be successful. Ashleigh first allowed us to address any ideas, subjects, or concerns we had about creating our organization such as the times we would meet, any rules we may have wanted, events we would hold, and awareness we may have wanted to share. We then created the purpose for our organization. Our purpose was to promote a strong sisterhood between women of color. This then lead to creating the name of our group, Wofford Women of Color.
We decided for our first event to hold a mother-daughter tea for spring weekend. One of our members invited her aunt, Zonya Brewton, to be our speaker and share some inspiring words. Mrs. Brewton spoke about her college experience and how she was the first in her family to attend college. She also spoke about some of her set backs and how she overcame them. This reminded me of the set backs we overcame in creating our organization. I also realized that we all experience set backs in our lives, but what matters is how we overcome them. Wofford Women of Color remained determined in getting our organization started and to this day it is still a success.

At the end of her speech Mrs. Brewton shared a poem that she made for us and gave us copies of it to use as a little way to keep us motivated during the hard times we may experience during our years here at Wofford.

The Journey by Zonya Brewton
This is but a portion of your journey
That you’ll travel in this life
There’ll be tests and there’ll be trials
And some days there’ll be strife

You’ll experience the joy of success
And suffer the pain of failure too
Women of Color stand together
That’s how you’ll make it through

This is but a portion of your journey
Do not travel this road alone
Women of Color walk together
In numbers you’ll be strong

You made it to this point
Because of what’s inside of you
You are destined to succeed
As long as you believe it’s true

When doubt comes your way
And I promise you it will
Always remember that FEAR
Is False Evidence Appearing Real

For some you’ll make family history
As you walk across that stage
The first to complete college
And enter a new phase

Your Degree will say a lot
About the person that you are
It will say that you’re determined
It will say that you’re a STAR!

It says you can achieve
Whatever you set out to do
It says you’re unstoppable
No road blocks stopping you

The trials that you have gone through
Will all have been worth it
You’ll be so happy you continued
And decided not to quit

I want to take this opportunity
To congratulate you in advance
Well Done! you Women of Color
Against you, the world doesn’t stand a chance!

Hannah on the importance of home

To me, my home is a place of peace. I sit on the front porch with my family and dogs. We talk for hours, or sometimes we just sit and enjoy nature (that may sound lame, but it is true). I could literally sit there for hours on end and listen to the wind, the pond, people driving down the gravel road, or the frogs chirp. I walk inside and have dinner with my family and maybe some friends… we will grill out if I am lucky. Once it gets past dark we all finally go to bed. One can always tell the smell of another’s house. My house is my smell. I crave the feeling of my head hitting the pillow in my room where my windows are open and I hear nothing but country.

My country haven speaks to me because it is where I am welcomed and loved. I know whenever I want I can go home, and waiting for me will be my parents, my dogs, and a warm cooked meal. I feel so greedy when I go home every weekend and some of my friends are suck at Wofford because their home is in Baltimore; but at least they know their home is there. That is what brings me to the kids at the Cleveland Boys and Girls Club. The first time I went to work with the children I was utterly shocked at their excitement to be there. After school hours, doing homework, running around with a bunch of kids…when you could be home? Home?
While helping with homework, I asked some questions to individual kids who were having a hard time. When I wanted to know if he/she was getting help at home they looked at me aimlessly. “No, I get help at the Boys and Girls Club.” When I told a young boy he needed to practice writing his “5”s at home he looked at me and said he would not have time, he had to watch his brother.  

A day at the Boys and Girls Club begins with a snack, and these kids love it! I know it is really important to feed all of them because some will not get fed until much later in the night. What I find the most heart wrenching about the entire after school program is when the kids take a couple minutes to recite the pledge. It reads (something like), I believe in the Constitution, a better me, the Bill of Rights…etc. At the end a student stands up front and says, “No matter what (name) says…” They all yell back, “I AM SOMEBODY.” At the Club these kids get the attention and drive to succeed and become someone.