Following a month of service opportunities across WFU’s campus, students, faculty and staff were invited to participate in a servant leadership reflection: Building Success Through Service.
October saw a Habitat wall build on campus as well as several opportunities to engage with CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, Jonathan Reckford. The month also included numerous service opportunities including Hit the Bricks for Brian Piccolo Cancer Research and Lee Denim Day for the Fight Against Breast Cancer.
Special guest speaker for the reflection session was Ms. Pat Hall, a Wake Forest staff member and Habitat homeowner. Pat was joined by Sylvia Oberle, Executive Director, and Debbie Cesta, Manager of Corporate and Community Engagement, of Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County.
Ms. Hall shared her life story and insights drawn from her journey to homeownership, perseverance through adversity, and the value of volunteerism. Pat, who works as a night security officer at Wake Forest, and is the mother of four grown children, spends days and spare time following her other passions: working at local jazz radio station WSNC 90.5 and writing poetry and other inspirational works.
Some key highlights from Ms. Hall’s talk, that directly relate to leadership and character concepts, include insights on personal strengths and ethical leadership.
Insights on Personal Strengths:
- Dream big, set goals, and start working to achieve the goals to realize your dreams (self-awareness and self-regulation)
- Keep pursuing your dreams, regardless of the obstacles you face. Persistence allows you to learn as you work through obstacles and pursue your goals
- Give service to others from your heart and you will receive more in return
- Seize opportunities as they present themselves to realize your dreams
- During periods of stress and adversity, you need an outlet to channel your emotions to positive pursuits (e.g., write poetry, play music, workout, etc.) (resilience)
Insights on Leading Ethically:
- Live your values and set the example for others to follow—be the change you want to see
- Don’t wait to learn perfectly – success isn’t always as we originally imagine it
The event concluded with a powerful message from area Habitat homeowners: Because of This House
The CLC regularly sponsors reflection opportunities following key University or School of Business Pro Humanitate initiatives and events.
For more information about Habitat’s work and service opportunities: Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County