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“The program designed to teach you 3 things in 30 minutes. Guaranteed!”

As a former student leader myself, and as a long-time college student leadership trainer, I have run more than 100 recruitment tables at campus activities fairs and club days and have seen what works and a lot of what doesn’t. Something that I do not think works is for members to sit behind a table waiting for students to come talk to them. Unless your club’s name really jumps out at a student, they will not come to talk to you if you are sitting behind the table. Plus, it is very easy for you to not convey interest, excitement, and energy about your organization while you are sitting.

Get rid of your chairs! Give them to one of your competitors and let them sit. Push your table back a little and then get in the flow of traffic by standing in front of your table. This puts you out where the students are and gives you a chance to make eye contact with them and approach them as they go by. These simple steps can dramatically improve your recruitment efforts and give your organization the members that it needs to be successful. Use your organization defining statement to get students to come over to your table and then show off your organization to them. Get rid of the chairs and get ready for an influx of new members!

Click here to see — > What your recruiters should say once they’re out  front… Hear Dave discuss this topic on “The College Speaker Series” on CampusTalkRadio

The answer is a resounding,“YES!”

I spoke at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in late March of 2011. Daniel Hastings is a student at the school who was unable to attend my student leadership presentation. He emailed me with some questions and, after I responded to him, gave me permission to share his questions and my answers in this blog.

Daniel Hastings: What suggestions would you give in leading a work group or team?

Dave Kelly: I try to instill leaders, whether students, employees, managers, etc. with this concept: Don’t think about what’s in it for you, think about what’s in it for them. If you can meet the needs of your fellow students (or employees) and accomplish the objective of your projects or organization, then you are going to have more motivated people who will strive for success in whatever you may be undertaking. Also, try to find a way to get team members to know each other on a personal level. It is easier to work with people that you have a relationship with and a little harder to “get in a snit” when you have a personal connection.

Daniel: How do you keep people involved in a school or work project. Examples for myself would include creating a retail game, starting a business or designing a aircraft.

I’ve always found myself wanting to lead the group and I’ve really started to enjoy being in that kind of position, but sometimes I find that the group I’m interested in doesn’t want to put in the effort that I do and I end up doing a good majority of the work. How do I get people more involved and more excited to work on the projects that I share with them? And how to I get them to stay on the project?

Dave: My answers for both of these are linked, so I have combined them into one question. To get people involved, first of all make sure you know exactly what your goal is for the project. An unclear vision or vague objective will either turn people or way, or they may sign up but will fall away before the desired result is achieved. Once you have defined this, then determine who would like to involve or recruit to the project. This way, they clearly understand what they are being asked to do. If you know your team members on a personal level, as I discussed above, then you will be able to use their “hot buttons” to solicit their involvement. “Hot buttons” are those things they are interested in, their passions, what excite them. When you have their involvement, make sure you clearly define what is expected of them and provide resources and training to them for their assigned tasks. Don’t assume they will just know what to do or how to do it.

Finally, never fear “no.” Some people will just not come along with you. That’s OK. This goes to what you wrote about other people not having the same level of commitment as you. That happens many times in organizations and companies. As a leader, you are typically more invested in the projects and/or activities. When I owned a multi-state mortgage company, I knew my employees cared about their work and sought personal success, but they would never be quite as invested as I was–because I had my money on the line! However, never fear a “no” because until you ask someone to become involved or join, they are already at “no.” And if you ask, you may just get a “yes!” And in that, you may find people who are as committed and passionate as you are. Perhaps they will be the future leaders of your group.

Saturday, March 19, 2011 was a beautiful, sunny day in southeastern Pennsylvania. I had spent the night before near the Philadelphia airport and took the short drive to Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, in Lincoln University, PA. As I drove up to the gates of this Historically Black University (HBU), I was impressed with the beauty of the campus and the contrast of the grand, older buildings dating back to 1854 and the newer construction reflective of more current times.

I was on campus to lead the afternoon portion of the Emerging Leaders Conference for approximately 60 outstanding students. They had done group interactions including bonding and get-out-of-your-comfort-zone activities in the morning and I was there to present my “Everyday Leadership” program. We were able to get in depth in a lot of ways and the students had the opportunity to learn more about each other.

Everyday Leadership includes five leadership topics:

1) “Making the Most of Your 24/7” showed them how to get more out of a 24-hour day than even Jack Bauer could by determining their priorities, recognizing their distractions, and not allowing themselves to get into a state of overwhelm by creating an elephant list.

2) In “Public Speaking for Student Leaders” I gave them tips and tricks on how to liven up their presentations, how to handle nervousness, and ways to inject humor into any speech or workshop they may be asked to present.

3) “Conducting Fun and Exciting Meetings for Campus Organizations” gave me a chance to show the students a lot of the cool ideas I have to make club and organization meetings more fun and enjoyable including a magic trick in which I made a fireball appear out of my palm!

4) “Playing Well With Others” is one of my most popular and interactive programs. We talked about interpersonal communication, listening skills, dealing with conflict, and defining and defending your own personal values. I love all of my programs, but I get an extra jolt of energy every time I present this one!

5) “Play To Win” was the final piece of this program and gave the students the opportunity to create a blueprint towards the achievement of a personal or organization dream/vision. I encouraged the students to use the experience to make that day, March 19, their “leaf day” (the day to turn over a new leaf) and create a new direction for themselves.

The response was so cool as I was presented a plaque by Ihsan “Ziggy” Mujahid, the Assistant Director for Student Life and Development. The students even gave me a standing ovation! The theatre major in me loved it! Here were some of the comments from that day:

“Dave Kelly is a funny, insightful, engaging speaker who does a phenomenal job in communicating effective student leadership skills. His presentations are fluid and well thought out and prove useful in everyday life.” – Kyle Goggans, student and Resident Advisor Candidate for Student Government

“You were great! Entertaining. Informative. Funny. Great at holding my attention.” – Diamond Austin

The “Play to Win” portion was particularly special for student Terrical Bellamu: “Very good presentation and I enjoyed the stories. The Goal Pyramid Systemsm is something that I will be able to use throughout my entire my life.”

Some students were succinct and enthusiastic in their praise:

“Very inspirational and is worth listening to if you ever plan to be a leader.” – Jamella Smith.

“Your Presentation was really entertaining. DAVE YOU ROCK!!!” – Princess Bambina. (Princess also indicated with a ♥ that she would love to have me come back again!)

And when the Associate Dean of Students speaks, people listen:

“The session was very informative AND educational. Even as a Dean, I feel I have so much more to learn as a professional. Dave’s session had so much info I can use in my journey. As well, his energy & passion are contagious. He is the perfect person for this job!” – Dr. Jacqueline Gibson, Associate Dean of Students

How do you make the “Everyday Leader” within you “rock”? Share your thoughts below!

Dave's Penguins, Distinguished District Award Medallions and Distinguished Administrator Awards

“They” are always trying to tell us something “they” think we need to hear. “They” have our best interests at heart, and “they” don’t want to see us fail, get hurt, or be disappointed. “They” will make sure to tell you that you really can’t do what you want to, are probably not good enough to succeed, and are not possibly smart enough to figure out something that no one else ever has. “They” know everything.

“They” are your enemies.

Oh, “they” might look like family, friends, or co-workers, but make no mistake, “they” will discourage you and try to let you down easy. “They” love you and want you to wait to pursue your dreams until all of the circumstances are perfect. But, secretly, “they” know there are no perfect moments, so if “they” can get you to put things off, “they” know eventually you will give up.

In truth, “they” don’t know a thing.

You control your destiny. You must listen to the yearnings of your heart. You were put on this earth with distinctive abilities and gifts and you must put them to use to be completely fulfilled. You choose what, when, where, why, and how. Only listen to those individuals who truly know and support you no matter what you do. Push past the limitations and obstacles “they” try to place upon you.

You are the best in the world at being you. You are special, outstanding, and unique. Be all that you were meant to be. Be you!

——————————————————————————–

I wrote the above piece in order to help people see the falseness of the the “They’s” in their lives. They laughed when I said, at the age of 7, I wanted to be the first person in my family to receive a college degree. I graduated with honors. They scoffed when I tried to be a high school athlete, skinny, with limited natural talent. Through hard work and determination, I earned the most athletic letters in my class. They were incredulous when I said I wanted to serve as Circle K International President, running from what had typically been one of the smallest districts in the organization. I won, presided over the largest membership in the organization’s history, and visited 7 different countries. And they all said it was impossible for me to start and succeed in my own business. They were right—I did it twice! I owned a multi-state mortgage company for 10 years and have had a successful speaking and training business since 2005.

Who are the “They’s” in your life? It doesn’t matter. Whether they be family, friends, pundits, or experts. Don’t listen to them, rather, listen to the desires of your heart!

Share in the space below how you have overcome the words, taunts, and advice of “Theys”.

“We can change the world…
By serving…
One life at a time.”

Dave Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer℠
Creator and Facilitator of Building Leaders Through Service®

Justin Core from Treasure Valley Community College as "The Pharoah" and, yes, that's me as "The King!"

While attending the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) National Advisors Institute in Las Vegas this past January (2-4, 2011), I caught up with one of my long-time friends, Justin Core. Justin is the Director of Student Programs and Residence Life at Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) in Ontario, OR. Ontario is just over the border from Idaho, along the Snake River, about an hour west of Boise. He is also a fellow past Circle K International President and we have had some fun and interesting times over the years!

Justin is a great guy who is very devoted to his students. He is a bit of a renaissance man as well, producing projects in Hollywood and hob knobbing with the elite of the entertainment industry. I have been blessed to come to his school twice before to work with his students. It was a complete surprise to see him at the conference and we quickly caught up.

As we were waiting for a session to start, he turned and asked, “What are you doing in two weeks?” I had nothing planned.

“We do this thing every year called ‘Las Vegas Nites’ and you would be great to do marriage ceremonies as ‘Elvis’. If I got you a plane ticket, could you come out?”

I could!

“Wait, would you be able to stay until the weekend and do a leadership program with our student leadership team?”

I would!

Within minutes, I had typed up the contract on my laptop and printed it off in the business center of the Mirage Hotel. I was going to be Elvis! I bought my plane ticket moments later and the deal was sealed.

My wife researched places to get Elvis costumes. Nothing on the internet could get to me quick enough, so we would have to try local costume shops. We went all over Atlanta, saw some great sequined jump suits, but none of them were made for someone as tall as me. We did find, however, a great pompadour wig that went with a pair of sunglasses we had gotten years earlier when we renewed our vows at an Elvis wedding chapel during a different Las Vegas trip.

Time was running short. I had already planned the leadership retreat with the SGA president, sent the handouts, and prepared the Power Point. But, what would I wear as Elvis? We finally hit on the idea of a white sweat suit that my wife adorned with rhinestones, including spelling out “Elvis” across the front. I was set!

I flew to Boise and made the short drive to Ontario. I met my friend in the student center while the setup was taking place for the show portion of Las Vegas Nites. Students were already in another room with casino games, playing for fun money and prizes while “The Hangover” played on TV screens around the room. Students were dressed as dealers, hostesses, and there were even a few shady types like you might have seen in an “Oceans 11” movie. After students cashed in their winnings for MP3 players, cameras, movie tickets, and other prizes it was time for the entertainment portion of the program.

This included rapper DTox, hypnotist Jerry Harris, DJ TVO, and me as Elvis in a corner decorated as a little wedding chapel. My ceremony script included vows such as pledging to “don’t be cruel,” “always be his/her lovin’ teddy bear,” and to never “return to sender.” I “married” tons of couples, small groups, and even one large horde. It was fun and the students seemed to enjoy it.

Then it was off to a late night breakfast! We laughed and talked about the night, other cool programs they have done, and what goals the students have for their lives. It really showed me the close connection that someone in Justin’s position can have with students and the impact a student life professional can have on the lives of those with whom they work. I also saw an incredible, professional and well done program that brought community college students out to campus on a Thursday night and that had them engaged and participating. The creativity of their leadership gave a something-for-everyone feel. Playing Elvis is clearly one of the highlights of my career.

So was the leadership retreat on Saturday. We started early and worked until lunch. We made Buddy Charts so they could get to know one another, did the Culture Walk to illustrate differences and similarities , and I led sessions on communication and conflict resolution. I apparently had done such a convincing job as Elvis that one of the students who was an organizer of Las Vegas Nites didn’t even realize I was the same person until nearly the end of the retreat! At the end of the day, the students honored me with these comments:

“I thought this was probably the best leadership training I have had the opportunity of attending. It has given me new tools I can use in leadership, at not just this community college, but also other colleges, as well.” – Kasey McFetridge, President, Association of Student Government

“Mr. Kelly, you are not only a wonderful person to have a conversation with, but are also a very talented speaker and educator. Thank you so much for your time & willingness to share & inspire myself along with the leadership here at TVCC!” – Brenda Cleaver, Social Media Coordinator

“I really, really enjoyed this retreat. I am brand new to the team and position and did not know my team well, but after this retreat I now know them more than I thought I ever would. The activities were very fun, and so were the lectures. All-in-all, I had a great time! I hope to see you again next year!” – Seri Kimball, Public Information Officer

“I love how you incorporate activities with your ‘lectures.’ You make everything fun/funny. The listening exercises were so fun and true. You helped me and everyone realize how to step back and evaluate yourself and set goals for myself. You’re Awesome!” – Kylee Holden, Entertainment Coordinator

“I really enjoyed all the interactive activities. I learned some things about our group along with myself that I may not have really paid any attention to before today. Along with that, I also enjoyed the teaching you did. My favorite was probably all the stuff about goals and goal setting! I would love to thank you for working the event Thursday, you were a huge hit! Along with all you’ve taught us!” – Kendra Babcock, Special Events Coordinator

Leadership, fun, programming, and activities can go hand-in-hand. What are you doing to bring these various elements together on your campus? Please share your ideas below!

Listen to Dave discuss this topic on
The College Speaker Series
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“The program designed to teach you 3 things in 30 minutes. Guaranteed!”

I have been a member of the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) since 2005. I have really enjoyed all of the great people I have met and the opportunities that I have had to speak and train at APCA member campuses. But I felt like there was something missing, something more that APCA could do.

So, I approached Executive Director Eric Lambert about the idea of incorporating community service into the 2011 APCA National Conference, which was held in Atlanta March 23-26. Eric was enthusiastic about this idea and incredibly supportive. He had great ideas of how to make this work within the framework of a programming conference and gave me great flexibility to put together a community service program.

I suggested the theme “APCA Serves 2011” and Eric and the APCA staff put together a logo and promotional materials to encourage students at the conference to participate. Things got started right away at 9am on the first day with APCA’s first ever Service Activity Fair. Students had an opportunity to engage in hands-on, drive-by service opportunities to provide immediate benefit to the local community.

They also were able to learn more about partnering with exhibiting groups such as Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, Special Olympics, Food for the Poor, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and others.

Drive-by service refers to projects that are ready-made for students to jump right into, take only a few minutes, and provide solid impact. At the conference, four drive-by opportunities were available to students:

1. Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Hosea Feed the Hungry & Homeless Foundation (www.HoseaFeedTheHungry.com). Rev. Hosea Williams was a civil rights leader who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Assembling boo-boo bunnies for Children’s Health Care of Atlanta (www.choa.org). These are little wash cloth animals with room to slide in an ice cube so a child can place it on a boo-boo to feel better.

3. Creating encouragement cards for children with cancer through Cure Childhood Cancer (www.curechildhoodcancer.org) and military stationed overseas through Letters From Home (www.lettersfromhomeprogram.com)

4. Signing a large banner for conference attendees to share their favorite community service activity

Hear Dave discuss this topic on “The College Speaker Series” on CampusTalkRadio

The work began right away when a group from Madison (WI) Area Technical College showed up and asked “Where is the service project?” They immediately got to work and made sandwiches, cards, and boo-boo bunnies. Other students also helped including a large group from Limestone College (SC), several students from Xavier University in New Orleans, celebrity impersonators Oprah Winfrey and Johnny Depp, a couple of advisors, and more.

The results were awesome! 75 boo-boo bunnies were made, more than two dozen creatively decorated cards were produced, and a whopping 142.5 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were made! All of this in just under two hours!

The impact of these projects was huge and immediate. In the case of the sandwiches, they were delivered that afternoon (Wednesday, March 23). Elisabeth and Afemo Omilami, Rev. Williams’ daughter and son-in-law, now operate the program. They were overwhelmed by the work of APCA attendees and humbled that students would take this time to help others. Ms. Omilami shared that if the PB&J project had not been done, then they would not have had anything to take to the streets of Atlanta to feed hungry and homeless people on Friday, March 25th. The need is that immediate! More than 100 people ate because of the caring of APCA students! And the total cost of the PB&J project was around $50.

Clearly, community service is an inexpensive programming option. But, how does a school engage in and create a program on their campus? That was the focus of two roundtables that I facilitated and two direct service-related educational sessions. The roundtables were open discussions on a number of potential projects and activities. Joe Norton, Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, told how his organization is working with college campuses to put on educational programs and raise funds to fight this devastating disease. Several Broadway show posters, signed by the cast, were auctioned off during the conference. Several hundred dollars were quickly raised and Joe offered to provide similar, signed posters to APCA schools for fundraisers to fight HIV/AIDS. You can contact him at info@broadwaycares.org to get posters for your campus and become involved with their work.

Conference attendees also shared information on several other projects. Mariel Liboreiro from the New York Institute of Technology shared her passion for working with Relay for Life (www.cancer.org) and became a resource person for several schools interested in becoming involved with the project. Projects as diverse as Tom’s Shoes to Paint with Passion were shared, showing just how involved students are on campus. I was also pleased to present the educational sessions on how to create and sustain a community service program on campus and another on planning and conducting service projects and fundraisers. Sarah Smith, Student Activities Board President for the University of Virginia-Wise said this about the sessions: “A lot of great info and I feel more confident about raising money & planning service projects with my organization.”

Why this focus on community service at a programming conference? Here is what APCA Executive Director Eric Lambert wrote in the organization’s publication, Student Activities Journal: “Anything we can do to publicize and aid in the effort with or generally promote charity and activism is good with me. Activism is a necessary and integral part of student development in my opinion. Regardless of the direction of community service that the student is interested in, a passion for becoming involved in the community is a prerequisite to becoming a leader in that community. I believe colleges help to produce experts. Student Life should help to produce citizens.”

To this end, three new initiatives were also undertaken at the conference: Schools were invited to display their community service efforts. Dekalb Technical College (GA) brought a display board, donated several pounds of canned food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and purchased books for children attending at-risk elementary schools in the Atlanta area. The Regional Advisory Committees met during the conference and decided they would like to continue to involve community service at regional APCA events, which Eric has invited me to coordinate. APCA Serves 2011 was kicked off in which attendees to the conference were asked to make a service hour commitment for the next year. Twenty-three students and two advisors shared their commitment to perform nearly 10,000 hours in the next 12 months!

One of those students is Juana Valle from Morton College in Cicero, IL. Juana plans to be very involved: “As of right now I have so many things planned out to do. Morton College is big on doing community services and due to that I work closely with them. On my own I help out at my church in the food pantry! I also help out in the Chicago marathon and any other races that we have in the area!”

Watch for more reports from other “APCA Serves 2011” participants.

The impact on the community and campus from these activities is huge and immediate. But what about the impact on the students? Mariel wrote this after attending one of the ed sessions: “I aspire to be a leader, so one day, I can make a difference. Thank you for showing me that it’s possible.”

Ski Weekend Leadership Board Retreat with Western Texas A&M University

On March 2, I celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday by reading to my kindergarten students at William Scott Elementary School in Atlanta.  It was so fun! One of the books I read was “Oh, the Places You Will Go”. When was the last time you read that book? It really is prescient about life and how things will go—as long as we persevere.

The book tells us how everything is going to go our way. How awesome we will become. And we are going to accomplish great things and go far…

“Except when you don’t, because sometimes you won’t.”

Um, I’m sorry, good doctor. What do you mean sometimes I WON’T. Isn’t this book about me accomplishing good things?

“Yes. And sometimes you will be in a ‘slump’”.

OK, stop that, Dr. Seuss! I only want to hear about how wonderful I am going to be.

The reality is that you will accomplish great things, if you persevere and do not give up. Some things will come to you easily. I became a superstar in the mortgage business two years out of college. I was managing over 30 employees in two offices before I was 27 and had the #1 operation in the company. I made more money in one year than most members of my family hoped to make over five years. It was so easy!

Then I went out on my own and almost lost everything. My house. My bank account. My investments. My credit was shot. But, I did not give up. I kept working and persevered. It took about five years but then I built my own company up to five offices in four states and over $1 million in revenue. I was riding high.

And then I found out that my business partner was working behind my back and had started his own company, siphoning off loans that should have been run through our organization. So, we split and I went to work for someone else. I built up my closings, over 100 per year, and was the top loan officer in the company. Until…

…Until I realized I was in the wrong line of work.

All of my talent and abilities, my calling, was directed towards being a professional speaker. And my passion was and is working with students, primarily of college and university age. So, I left the business that I had worked in since I graduated from college and began promoting myself as a leadership speaker and trainer.

I have found something that is fun, inspirational, and the most rewarding career I could ever imagine. It’s not quite as financially rewarding as the mortgage business, but way less stressful and so much more enjoyable. I was made for this. I endure the ups and downs of being a performing artist, but with a wife and daughters who love and support me, it is all worth it. Sure, I sometimes wonder if I am going to make it. But that is what makes the journey fun.

What about you? Are you an overnight success or has it taken a few years? Have you hung in there for five or more years? Will you stick with it even if you never achieve everyone else’s definition of greatness?

Go for it! Because the places you go will be so amazing and the things you will do may just astound you!!

With "my" kindergarten teacher, Amy Gonglefski, on Dr. Seuss Day.

I stood there frozen with fear. I was about to go out in front of an audience that was not willing to sit still. They squirmed. They were talking amongst themselves. They were ready for a show and I was going to have to give it to them.

Why, oh why did I agree to this? Was I crazy? Did I have a death wish? I was going to have to keep an audience of 25 entertained for up to half an hour. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

Did I bring the right materials?

Would my voice hold out?

Would they like me?

“And now,” I heard from inside the room, “boys and girls, please welcome Mr. Kelly!”

I walked around the corner to face that most volatile and hostile of all audiences.

Five-year-olds.

I didn’t feel like I had much on my side. My giant stature caused audible gasps from the tiny people seated criss-cross applesauce on the rug depicting a map of the United States. As I strode to the front of the room, to the ubiquitous Reader Chair, my heart skipped a few beats. I was armed only with my shaky smile and a series of Dr. Seuss books. I cleared my throat.

“Hi, kids,” I said. “I am Mr. Kelly from the Galleria Atlanta Kiwanis Club and I am here to read to you today. Does anyone like Dr. Seuss?” A bunch of hands went up, some went back down, then up again, but it seemed like Dr. Seuss was going to be a good bet. Some hands remained up.

I pointed to a little girl on the front row, “Yes, sweetie, do you have a question?”

“I like Cat in the Hat” she said and she smiled a grin, minus some of her front teeth.

“Uh, okay, thank you for that. Does anyone else have a question?”

A little boy on the front row wearing a Deion Sanders #21 Falcons jersey had his hand up and I pointed at him. “We have three cats” he announced proudly, putting his hand down.

I looked over at the teacher who was sitting in her desk with her head in her hands, in some sort of self-induced coma or hypnotic state, and I realized I was on my own.

“Well, I could keep taking questions, but I only have a half an hour with you and I brought three books and I want to make sure I have time to read them all. So, let’s hold all of the questions until I am done reading the first book and we’ll see how it goes,” I said.

By this time, the flop sweat was pouring off of me, but the kids agreed and I started:

“I am Sam”. Turn the page. “I am Sam”.

Next page, audience at rapt attention. “Sam I am”

“That Sam I am, that Sam I am, I do not like that Sam I am.”

I was settling into the same kind of groove that I had when I read to my daughter, Amanda, who was also five. I got several pages into the book: “I would not eat them here or there, I would not eat them…”

And the whole crowd shouted: “ANYWHERE!”

“I do not like Green Eggs and Ham, I do not like them…”

And again they got ahead of me… “Sam I am.”

We had a great time reading further about Sam, I am, green eggs, and ham. And thus began my commitment to read to kids sixteen years ago, a commitment that continues to this day.

I now read once per month to a group of kindergarteners at an at-risk elementary school in Atlanta. A lot of these kids don’t have a positive, male role model who is present in their home. If there is a male present, he may not be a positive influence. The kids see me, a man, come into their school and I am nicely-dressed, clean-shaven, smelling of nothing stronger than Crest, and I treat their teacher, usually a woman, with respect and attention. And I want to be there with them, to read to them, to listen to them go off on tangents unrelated to the story, to hear about how they get home at 3 pm and they have to lock all of the doors and stay inside because an adult will not be home until 6 pm. All this at 5 and 6 years of age!

There are some great “benefits”, too. The kids all eagerly shout my name “Mr. Kelly, Mr. Kelly” whenever I come in. I usually also get group hugs as I come into the room, then again when I leave. And they continue to recognize me and say hi when they see me in the hallway as they get older. Serving others is a great opportunity and reward.

What is your favorite service project? Share it below so others can learn from your passion!

I have been involved in the Kiwanis Family, an organization dedication to community service for 35 years. I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin and I joined the Key Club (high school level) at my high school when I was a sophomore because I liked the advisor and I decided that if he thought it was worthwhile, then I wanted to be a part of it. I did some projects and was pretty active, but I didn’t have a clue about the whole Key Club universe. That changed in the spring of my junior year I found out about a convention being held in Green Bay. I thought it would be cool to spend the weekend there, so I signed up

I had no idea that there was anything beyond our little club and then I got to Green Bay and I was one of 600 high school students there! The first night, we sat in our caucus and we were paired with another division, which is a region of the state. There were candidates for all these statewide offices coming in and telling us what they were going to do, why they were qualified, and why we should vote for them. And there was a guy running for a position called Lt. Governor of the other division and apparently our division needed one, too, but no one was running. The guy running the caucus was begging for someone, anyone to run.

About that time, my club advisor nudged me and said, “Why don’t you do it?” I had never even held a club office before, but, I thought about it and I decided, “I’ll run, and then they’ll see that I’m not any good and don’t know anything, and somebody better will run against me and get elected.” So, I raised my hand and said, “I’ll do it.” And I immediately learned a lesson about volunteering. You tend to get what you volunteer for!

I answered questions the best that I could and I guess they felt I wasn’t a total loser, because I was elected. I didn’t know what I was doing, but as soon as I got home, I dove into all of the material that I had been given and learned everything I could. I had a good year and received several awards as a result. I was sad, however, that I had not learned about this sooner and that I had only one year to serve on the district board and enjoy the great experiences of leadership.

I then met the Circle K (the collegiate level) District Governor and he told me about Circle K as a place for me to continue my involvement. I went full force into Circle K, being appointed Lt. Governor the first week I was in school, getting elected Governor as a freshman, then International Vice-President and finally, International President. My experiences in those positions have shaped and influenced my life and career since and still do to this day.

What if I had not answered the call? What if I had played it safe and just sat there? What if some time traveler could go back to that moment and hold me down and I never took the bold step forward? Well, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. If I hadn’t taken that bold step, I would not have been influenced to move to Indianapolis after graduation, which is where I got into the mortgage business. What career might I have had? I got into the mortgage business by accident, so who knows? It was because of the mortgage business that I moved to Atlanta. So, if I wasn’t there, then I never would have met my wife and my daughters would never have been born. I would never have joined a Kiwanis Club and had the opportunity to grow in my leadership and confidence, leading workshops and giving presentations. I would not be writing to you today. And so it goes. One bold move has influenced the rest of my life.

When the opportunity comes, will you raise your hand and say, “I’ll do it”? Leadership and life are calling to you. All you need is a desire to serve and a willingness to try. Make the most of the opportunities by saying, “I’ll do it!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It_AfybqJjY

I appeared on the  Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon twice
to make check presentations on behalf of Circle K International’s fundraising efforts.
Yes, this is me back in college!

Did you know that the success or failure of new students on campus lies in the hands of your Orientation Leaders?

It’s true. And how they are prepared for their responsibilities will determine if those new students are successful during their collegiate career.

When I arrived on campus, my college orientation consisted of getting handed a Student Handbook with an envelope of coupons from local vendors and about a 30-minute session of going around a circle with 10 new students talking about ourselves. “Assessment” was our ‘orientation leader’ asking us if we met any new people. He was no more equipped to help me succeed as a student than I was as a timid first-year.

The training that you provide for your Orientation Leaders needs to be intentional. It should allow them to bond through fun and invigorating exercises that will not only further develop their leadership skills but enable them to provide more effective representation to new students and their families.

New Student/First Year Experience programs are pivotal in defining the direction new students choose when arriving on campus. Too many times orientation leaders are brought into situations they are not prepared for and they end up giving the wrong information or advice to new students. I had the privilege of spending a day working with the Orientation Leaders at Spelman College in Atlanta helping them to prepare for the next nine days that they were going to spend with their group of new students. Nine days! That’s a long time and the potential for things to not go as hoped is great.

It is important for your Orientation Leaders to help their group of new and transfer students succeed in going from orientation to graduation. With that, here are some areas I suggest you include in your training for Orientation Leaders:

• Sessions that develop your Orientation Leaders’ facilitation skills
• Solutions to handle drama, conflict, and bullying
• Provide personal growth through introspection
• Bust the biases students bring to leadership roles, helping them to understand diversity in its various forms
• Demonstrate how listening and communication skills turn your Orientation Leaders into mentors
• Discover and share the importance personal leadership styles, including their impact on interactions and abilities development

What are some of the things your school includes? Do you have specific goals that you go into Orientation Leader training hoping to achieve? Any other ideas you want to share? Please use the comment space below to create a dialog to improve every campus’ Orientation Leader training!

As Tory was showing me around campus, she occasionally would bend down and pick up a scrap of paper. This happened four or five times when curiosity got the better of me. I asked her if this was one of their traditions, part of the honors code, an expectation that cadets would pick up litter to keep the grounds clean. “No”, she told me, “it’s a habit of mine. I figure that if I pick up at least one piece of garbage every day, then there will be 365 less pieces of garbage in the world each year.”

Wow! What a great habit to have! What a wonderful example of a commitment to excellence. Are you not proud that this fine young woman is defending our country? She has developed a winning habit: a commitment to serving others. By the way, I recently learned from someone at the academy that Tory did graduate, served her initial two year commitment, and re-upped for a second tour. I know I am proud to have been in her presence even for just a short time.

This is a great example of how you can create winning habits in your life by doing the simple things well and consistently. When you have mastered the little things, then you will have confidence to take on the bigger things. As you experience success developing winning habits, you will find that you will have victories in work, school, and all aspects of your life. Winning will become a habit in itself for you and you will find joy in the things you are able to accomplish.

You are a winner just waiting to happen!

Dave – Building Leaders Through Service®

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”- Johnann Wolfgang von Goethe:

What Goethe is telling us is that whatever it may be that we desire, wish for, or dream to have real in our lives, we should go for it! There is so much in life that we all want to make happen and so few people seem to really reach for their dreams.

Why is this? I think it is because the accomplishment of the dream seems to be a far off thing, and many times it is. That can be discouraging when we want it now. Perhaps we do not see the steps that we need to take to get from here to there. That’s OK. There is only one step you really need to be concerned with… the first one!

Once you take that step, it is amazing how quickly the next one becomes apparent. And then the next, and so forth, until we find ourselves not just taking steps, but sprinting towards our dream.

“But Dave, the moment is not perfect right now, maybe I should wait.”

Lots of people wait a lifetime to take that first step, and then they never do. There are no perfect moments, just get started. Try something. Be bold! What is the worst thing that could happen to you? A little embarrassment? A slight set-back on the way to your dream? Hey, I’ll take all of the setbacks that come along. Because it means that I am doing something! That’s the power of boldness.

My career as a speaker happened because I was willing to begin. My monthly newsletter happened 50 editions ago because I began. I had put a spot on my website where someone could sign up for the newsletter. It was on my website for a year and a half and nothing happened, so I didn’t write the newsletter. Then, one day, it happened. Someone subscribed!

What was I going to do? I didn’t want to do a newsletter for just one person, but now I was committed. So, I sent the first edition to everyone in my email address book, along with my actual subscriber, 700 in all. I apologized in advance for the spam and promised to unsubscribe anyone who did not want to be on the list. Then, I waited.

The next day, I had about 50 emails regarding my newsletter. “Well”, I thought, “50 unsubscribes out of 700 isn’t bad.” Then I started opening the emails. Most of them weren’t unsubscribes at all, but emails congratulating me on the newsletter and messages telling me how much they loved receiving it! How cool! There were 47 “attaboys” and only three unsubscribes!

And it has been a real joy to write ever since. My newsletter list is now over 2,200 people strong, it has gotten me speaking engagements, helped me reconnect with friends and colleagues, and given me material for a new book. All because I took a chance and was willing to begin.

How does this apply for college students? In every possible way. You are in that beginning point during your collegiate years. This may be the foundational time for you to go after the dreams that you have. Just start. Facebook inventor Mark Zuckerberg was a college sophomore when he created the biggest social media site ever. And it was only intended to be a vehicle for Harvard students! Then it expanded, but was still only available if you had an “edu” email address. And now? Wow! Little steps can lead to big things. The scale is only limited by the size of your dream.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to begin!

“We can change the world…
By serving…
One life at a time.”

Dave Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer (sm)
Creator and Facilitator of Building Leaders Through Service®

“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I had the honor of working with over 100 women at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, NJ on January 17, 2011, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It was the third annual leadership conference for the students and the focus was on community service. It was a fun and exciting event and the enthusiasm of the women warmed up a cold January day!

My part of the program was to present “Building Leaders Through Service®” as an interactive, two-hour leadership seminar in the morning. My approach was to get the women thinking about servant leadership and what role(s) it could play in their lives. I presented personal stories and encounters with everyday servant leaders such as a U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadet, my daughters, and students that I have worked with. We talked about great servant leaders in history such as Dr. King, Mother Theresa, and Mahatma Ghandi.

I also shared eight qualities of servant leaders such as putting others above self, instilling a lifetime commitment to service in others, and serving by helping others achieve their dreams. In the last case I shared the sacrifice of a person close to me, my wonderful wife, who has sacrificed her own career goals in order to support my dream of being a professional speaker. That drew a loud “Awwww” from the audience—well deserved for my best friend in the world! We finished with the “Leadership Circle” where the women joined hands and shared their commitments to serve others, and then it was off to a fabulous lunch!

The afternoon continued with the students working on community service projects, all staged on campus. Students were randomly assigned via a colored sticker on their program folder. Some made soup for the Ocean County Coalition for Women—chopping vegetables, peeling potatoes, filling pots—while others made crafts to be given to the local Meals on Wheels program. The crafts would be added to the meal packages to brighten the day of the recipients.

This was a hugely successful program and one that could be duplicated on your campus. Everything took place at the school. My program was in the gymnasium, with theatre-style seating and plenty of room for the interactives. There was also room to set up the tables and buffet for lunch. The service agencies came to the school and the kitchen in the gymnasium and a nearby residence hall were used for preparing and cooking the soup, while a large downstairs area served as the craft center. There were no transportation issues for the students, or additional liability, since they stayed on campus. And since everything was planned for indoors, weather was not an issue.

Do you have questions about this program? Or comments to share? Would you like to conduct a program like this on your campus? Perhaps your school does a Day of Service program already. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the space below!

“We can change the world… By serving… One life at a time.”

Dave Kelly, creator and facilitator of Building Leaders Through Service®

• Alanon/Alateen
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• American Kidney Fund
• American Lung Association
• American Red Cross
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association
• Arthritis Foundation
• Atlanta Ministry for International Students
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
• Boy Scouts of America
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
• Childrens’ Miracle Network
• Colon Cancer Alliance
• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
• Cross Cultural Solutions
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Easter Seals
• Epilepsy Foundation
• Feeding America (food banks)
• Foster Care Support Foundation (GA)
• Girl Scouts of America
• Goodwill Industries
• Habitat For Humanity
• Hands On Network
• Humane Society
• Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Locks of Love
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• March for Babies(formerly WalkAmercia)
• March of Dimes
• Marine Toys for Tots
• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
• Narcotics Anonymous
• National Coalition for the Homeless
• Ronald McDonald House
• Special Olympics
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
• United Way
• White House Office of Faith-Based & Neighborhood Initiatives

In a more general sense, if nothing above suits you here are some general categaory to tickle your imagination. If it’s an area that interests you check the local newspaper, yellow pages or do an internet search to see if there’s a volunteer or community service opportunity in your area.

• Animal shelters
• Childrens’ hospitals
• Churches
• Public elementary schools
• ESL programs
• Famine relief programs
• Homeless programs
• Literacy councils
• Orphanages
• Police athletic leagues
• Veterans’ organizations

And finally, here are some organizations that your club or campus organization can partner with to do service:

• 100 Black Men of America
• Jaycees
• Kiwanis International
• Lions International
• Pilot International
• Rotary International

I hope this helps and once again, let me know of any worthy additions to this list.

Dave ‘Gonzo’ Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer™
Building Leaders Through Service™

“What ideas do you have for a service project during New Student Orientation that would work with 1,200 or more students in a rural community and on a tight budget?”

Getting students involved in community service during orientation is a great idea; however, coordinating a single project that gets 1,200 involved at one time is a challenge. You want to ensure everyone participates and gets their hands “dirty,” but how do you engage that many people at one time?

I suggest trying a variety of projects and activities that get everyone involved at once and on the same day, which will give you a better chance of confirming everyone participates. You could erect a number of “stations” at the main orientation site that explains the different projects and includes instructions, supplies/materials as well as project mentors. For instance, one station could include everything students need to make cards out of construction paper for kids in the hospital, troops overseas or residents of nursing homes. You would need the paper and other supplies such as scissors, glue, markers and other decorative items. At another station students could make Play-Doh or silly putty for kids in head start and daycares using flour, water, salt and food coloring. Other stations could involve students making flowers for hospital trays and assembling snack bags for the USO.

That will get some of the students involved, but not all. Other stations could sign up new students to involve them in a day of service with local elderly or otherwise physically unable members of the community. You can “advertise” that you will have students available on a given day to do yard work, clean out garages, etc., anything other than climbing on roofs (I have seen that happen!). This gives you an opportunity to involve students outdoors in a number of activities and connect the school to the local community.

Along this vein, you could also see if various agencies, such as the Boys and Girls Club, need some outdoor work done or even if the city has some “eyesore” properties they would like to clean up. Check with other local governmental, civic groups, homeless shelters, non-profits, etc. to see what types of needs your students could meet.

I think trying a variety of activities that could be done on one day will be your best course of action as opposed to try and get 1,200 students doing a singular activities. The most I have ever tried to involve on one day is 225 students with 15 to 20 different activities and projects. It took some serious coordination, but everyone got involved and had the opportunity to be of service. Get some strong student coordinators and let this be a leadership development opportunity for them. Good luck!

Dave ‘Gonzo’ Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer™
Building Leaders Through Service™

The question is: how was this year’s program different? Much of the direction I gave them previously, they took to heart. For example, they have monthly club advisor meetings, regular programming updates and they also do a program in the fall on recruitment tabling called “The Nitty Gritty.”

This time around I was able to use my time in some new and interesting ways, with team building, practical interactions and leadership material. This is the stuff that the students said they wanted more of, along with the membership retention, fun and exciting meetings, and other campus org topics that I typically do.

Flexibility is a great thing. That’s one thing I love about this job: the ability and opportunity to remake my programs or create something new based on comments I’ve received and the successes of each program. My servant leadership material under the banner of Building Leaders Through Service™ came about because of requests from Valencia Community College and the University of Akron. My program for advisors also came about as the result of a school’s request. I also love it when I find that a school has successfully implemented some or all of my tried-and-true ideas.

What bright ideas do you have? Not just for me, but to share with others. Use the comment section below and share some of your best training programs, leadership efforts and co-curricular practices. You might inspire something new in higher education!

Dave ‘Gonzo’ Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer™
Building Leaders Through Service™

“I’m sorry, Dave, who?”

Brian Davis is a golfer on the PGA Tour. On Sunday, April 18, 2010, he was playing at the Verizon Heritage event in South Carolina and gave up a possible win—his first on the tour— when he called a penalty on himself, in a playoff, for disturbing a stray weed on his back swing. [Hitting any material during your back swing constitutes a two-swing penalty].

Davis called the penalty on himself, conceding the victory to Jim Furyk who walked away with $1.03 million for the win. Davis did take second and got a $615,000 check, but more importantly he can hold his head up high knowing he did the honorable thing, the expected thing and the right thing.

Would you have done the same in that situation?

Have you ever been faced with a circumstance in which you could get away with something because no one would know, and you took it? I know someone who regularly takes advantage of items misplaced on retail shelves and then forces the clerks to give the lower price. I am even aware of this individual actually switching price labels on products and they’re proud of this!

When I was a mortgage broker there were many temptations to cut corners in order to close loans. I always felt that no loan was worth jeopardizing my career for so I wouldn’t do it. But, the temptations were there. I had people offer me money to do whatever it took to get their loan complete. I had customers submit false tax returns, W-2s and pay stubs. I even saw appraisals covered with correction fluid!

Do you have an integrity moment of truth? A “Brian Davis” moment? Please send them to me and I will use them in future blog entries. It can be those moments when you pointed out to a server that they missed charging you for something, when you returned that extra $10 given to you with your change by a cashier, or a time when you told an employer or a client that you would not accede to their request to do something unethical.

There are always going to be people who will try to cut corners in order to get a leg up. Don’t be one of them! If you work from a position of integrity, you will always make the right decision.

And, like Brian Davis, you will be a richer person as a result!

I want to write about YOU in a future blog post! Tell me how you have overcome obstacles, achieved goals or surpassed the expectations of others—especially those who may have underestimated you. If you want to tell me your story, but don’t want me to publish your name, I can do that too!

Dave ‘Gonzo’ Kelly
America’s student leadership Trainer™
Building Leaders Through Service™

I learned about having a service commitment when I was young, through the Scouts and through high school and collegiate organizations. I have continued that involvement in both formal and informal ways. I am a member of a civic organization that focuses on service, Kiwanis International, and I do work through my church. But, I also take time to serve in other ways.

When I see trash on the ground, I pick it up. When I see someone in need, I help. In fact, I think my attitude is rubbing off on others. As I write this blog in my favorite bagel shop, my friend and blogging mentor, Kevin, saw a woman approaching the door very tentatively in her walker. He jumped up, opened the door, and she was able to come inside without the worry of being hit by the door. That’s service to others.

In the last week, I had the opportunity to read to a first grade class (I go once a month, see the accompanying picture), stuff plastic eggs for an Easter egg hunt for kids living in nearby apartments, and make sandwiches for a soup kitchen that our church has supported for over 30 years. My daughter, Little One, got excited about the “Soles for Souls” campaign at our church, made posters, and distributed them throughout the neighborhood. She collected 50 pairs of shoes for homeless and needy people! She is only 8 years old! What can you do?

How does serving others make you a leader? It shows you are willing and able to be an example. It gives you insight into the needs and desires of others. It teaches you ways to motivate people. And it gives you a level of confidence that leaders need. Some people believe that “true leadership” can only come through service to others.

Find a way today to be a servant leader. It can be in a big way or a small way, but in all ways you will impact others!

Dave Kelly, America’s student leadership Trainer (sm)

I like reaching goals.

I am an achievement junkie.

I am really into setting an objective, quantifying it, putting together a plan, and then going after it with everything that I have.

That is cool to me. It gives me energy and excitement. Provides purpose.

When I was in elementary school, I set a goal of being 6’3” tall. I am 6’2”. Not bad. Almost got there. Betcha didn’t know height is controlled by goal setting! Are you short? Raise the bar, set a higher goal!

Sometimes, though, it makes me do goofy things. Take for example, “Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest”. This was my attempt to achieve my goal of qualifying as a Gold Medallion member of Delta Airlines Sky Miles program.

Why was that important?

Because I had missed it by only a few thousand miles each of the past three years. So, earlier in the fall, I started plotting to see if I could make it to Gold without having to take any extraneous/unnecessary flights. [Delta requires you to actually fly the miles for MQM status except in cases of certain credit card holders] I was well positioned coming into the fall, as I was more than half-way to my goal. My first gig of the fall was in southern Texas. That’s a long way from Atlanta! Alas, Delta could not get me to my airport destination: Midland/Odessa. Welcome back, Continental, my old friend. Seeing Kirk Cameron (“Growing Pains”) on my flight from Houston to Midland/Odessa was a small consolation for not adding to my Delta total.

I added miles on subsequent trips, but then hit a few speed bumps. Georgia Southern University? Great school, had an awesome time. Three hour drive from my house and no commercial airport in Statesboro. Blackhawk Technical College in southern Wisconsin on Friday and Waubonsee Community College about an hour and half south of there on Saturday? Great! Flew up on Delta! Problem. Two gigs, one flight. And the only return that worked was on the Friendly Skies of United.

This type of subversion of my goal continued throughout the fall. Until finally, I calculated that I was going to come up 8,850 miles short of my goal, missing Gold for a third straight year. What to do?

I started plotting flights to Seattle, Anchorage, Los Angeles, anywhere that I could rack up miles. But, the costs were too prohibitive. What to do?

Then, I lucked out. On the day after Thanksgiving I found my answer. I was messing around with a couple of different travel sites as well as the Delta site, when I came across a $270 round trip airfare from Atlanta to LAX. What? How could that be? But, there it was. If I flew from Atlanta to LAX on Tuesday, December 15, I could fly there and then right back for that low price and pick up 3,892 miles. Boy, was this great!

But, it would still leave me over 5,000 miles short of my goal. Hmmmm, is it possible to do this roundtrip scenario and then… Could I do it again?

A few clicks on my keyboard and yes, I could do it again, and for the same price. I would fly from Atlanta to LAX at 7:30 in the morning, landing at 9:29 am local time and then return on the same plane at 10:40 am, arriving into Atlanta at 5:30 pm. I would have to change concourses, but I could then get on a flight back to LAX at 6:40 pm, which would arrive there at 8:50 pm. I would have a two-hour layover, until 10:55 pm before I would board the return trip to Atlanta. This would get me within 1100 miles of my Gold status!

It meant, however, that I had to find somewhere else to fly inexpensively. Chicago was not enough miles, New York was too expensive. Memphis and Savannah were close, but the pricing and timing would not work. Wait! I grew up in Wisconsin and go back there to speak. Milwaukee is 669 miles away according to Delta. So, if I fly roundtrip…

I would have it! Genius! Except for one thing…

How do I sell this to Honey Sweetie Darling, otherwise known as my wife?

“Duh dunt duuuuuuuhhhh!” (he said in a dramatic voice)…

She had been running some errands on this day. I waited to see what kind of mood she was in when she came home. Bought some new clothes for our daughter, got all of her errands done, seemed happy enough. This seemed like as good a time as any to bring up this subject.

I was wrong.

“You want to do what?” she asked incredulously. I stayed calm and like Ralphie going for a Red Ryder BB gun, I maintained my focus. I showed her the travel sites and all of the flights that I had saved. I discussed the cost with her, but pointed out that by making it to Gold status, I could earn a free flight four times faster, which would cover some of the cost, and my Sky Club membership would be less. I also promised to write about the trip (here I am!) in order to hopefully reap some business benefit as a result. After all of my cajoling, she agreed but wanted to know, “When do I get to go on a silly trip?”

Some questions just can’t be answered in the moment.

I quickly set about booking the flights, so she could not change her mind. Within about 45 minutes, all flights were booked and I was committed to this project. I got really excited and started to tell other people about it. A good friend of mine just smiled and his eyes glossed over. “I want to go” was all he could say. Sorry, this would be my adventure. Over 9,000 miles in 30 hours. How fun was this going to be!

Or so I thought. The closer the trip got, the more I had second thoughts…

“What if the weather is bad?”

“What am I going to do all of that time?”

“What if I run into a travel delay somewhere along the line?”

“What if Delta finds some way not to award me Gold status?”

“What am I doing?”

I was a little nervous, but that kept the adrenaline flowing. Then I got an idea. Why not submit this trip to the Guinness Book of World Records for consideration as a world record. I went to their web site and found I could submit my request on line. I submitted it for consideration as “Most Miles Flown on Commercial Airlines within the Continental United States in a 24-Hour Period”. I was just submitting the ATL to LAX portions, 7784 miles. I was hoping to hear from them before I took the trip, but the web site told me that it takes 3-4 weeks to certify a record attempt. I could have paid to “fast track” it, but since I was going to fly anyway, I didn’t see any point in that. Now my trip was taking on some exciting dimensions. I recorded a video in my basement talking about the trip to let my friends and social media followers know what was going on.

I wanted to do more, though, so I hit upon an idea. What if I were to make a video of me getting ready for my big day, “practicing” some of the stuff that I would experience? I got very excited and enlisted my friend Marc and we went to the local mall and shot me doing things like running through the airport—in slow motion, riding escalators, grabbing food on the run, and more. We called it “Gonzo’s Gold Quest Preview”  and we did the video on the Saturday prior to Tuesday, the day my travel would begin.

I had a hard time going to sleep the night before this trip. I had my alarm set for 4 am and I think I got about 2 ½ hours of sleep. I was scared to go to sleep, lest I oversleep and miss the whole thing! That did not happen and I put on some comfortable clothes and got ready to go to the airport. I asked my wife to send out a note to my e-newsletter list about the trip and to encourage people to watch Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for updates. She shot a picture of me that was clearly posed, but with a 5:30 am backdrop.

I drove to the airport, parked, and headed into the terminal. I had no bags to check, since I intended to wear the same clothes the whole trip. Hey, if I can live with myself, so can the people around me. It also meant that once I went through security in Atlanta, I could complete all six of my flights without having to go back through again.

My first flight, from Atlanta to LAX was from Gate T-4, which is right past security. This was a good break, since I would not have to ride the train to get to my concourse. I hit the Delta Sky Club to use some free internet to update Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Then, I headed to the gate and boarded the plane. I am seated in the back section of the plane, in the first row past the bulkhead. Nobody is seated on either side of me.

I sat in the middle seat, feeling like Captain Kirk, with the huge monitor in front of me. I would be able to follow my flight all across the country. When I was awake. Since I did not get a lot of sleep, I thought that I would spend most of this first flight sleeping. I was just about to doze off when the pilot came on to tell us about the flight ahead of us.

I am not making this up.

Our pilot was “American Top 40’s” Casey Kasem. “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Our flight today should be smooth and last about 4 hours. Just enough time to count down the hits. Let’s start with a long distance dedication from Delta to Gonzo. Written by John Denver in 1966, it is “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. As I am listening to the song and drifting off to sleep, I heard the pilot come over the intercom and say, “And now, on with the countdown.”

I might have been a little sleep-deprived and that could be affecting my memory.

I woke up when the food cart came by and I got an Egg Salad Wrap. A delicious blend of cream cheese, spicy Pepper Jack cheese, and Boars Head Mesquite Smoked Turkey. It was topped with egg salad, roasted red peppers, black beans, and then rolled inside sun-dried tomato pitas, making two perfect snack sized wraps. Served with a side of salsa. $7.00

The guy across the aisle got a bag of peanuts. Free.

I might have gotten ripped off.

My plan was to run to the Sky Club as soon as I landed to update Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The flight goes well. I wake up with a little turbulence over Memphis, but go back to sleep a little while later. When I wake up again, I see hills and mountains out the right hand side of the plane. There is snow on top of some of the peaks. It is a beautiful sight. We are near LA. How cool!

I still have over 7,000 miles to go before I am done.

Got off the plane, took a picture with my cell phone of an “I Love LA” store to prove I was there and went to the Sky Club. I got my boarding pass for the return to Atlanta since I could not get it on-line.

Here is my update post from Facebook, no time to record a video:

AT LAX, 1st leg done! 1941 miles covered, 7062 to go. Slept most of flight. Back to ATL at 1:30 EST, writing my Sermon on the Mount book. Btw, showing how to buckle a seat belt?? Really, FAA, really? If you can’t buckle on the ground, when you fly, you get bounced around! Food so far? Mmmm, peanuts. Tasty, tasty peanuts. They started boarding my flight back to Atlanta at 9:50 am, I get to the gate at 10:00 am. There is a long line, however, as a Silver Medallion member I have breezeway privileges. It is a wonderful thing! I cruise past the line and get on the plane. I have an exit row, bulk head seat. Sweet! I do not have the aisle, but that is OK. There is actually space between my seat and the wall of the plane. The guy in the window seat in the row behind me is able to stretch his legs out next to my seat. I sleep some more and, apparently, I snore. I wake up at one point, over Memphis when things were a little shaky, and I am looking towards the interior of the plane. The guy in the aisle seat next to me is staring right at me.

Clearly, he hates me. I don’t care. I doze off again, only to be awakened by a presence. I look up and there is “Stretch” from the row behind me, sliding past me, between my seat and the wall on his way to the restroom. He is wearing an inflatable pillow on the back of his neck, kind of like the HANS device that race car drivers wear. The only thing I can think of is, “Are we swapping paint with another plane” (Yes, I have watched some NASCAR in my time.)

We land in Atlanta at gate T-1. My flight back to LAX leaves from gate E-10. You almost can not be further apart between two gates. I grab a Nathan’s 15-piece hot dog nugget pack and head for the train. Quick stop in the Sky Club for an update:

½ way to my 24 hour goal! Flight back to LAX in a few mins from ATL. Already flown 3,882 miles today to end up right back where I started! I have an upgrade for the morning flight to Milwaukee. That means a big, comfy seat to sleep in!

I run out. I make it, again with seconds to spare. This plane is huge. They have the sleeper seats in 1st and Business Class. They look so cool. I am in seat 49G, aisle. Pretty far back in the plane. The couple next to me are nice, quiet, small. I nod hello to them and wonder, “Would they fit in the overhead compartment”. I’m just saying. Then I could pull up the arm rests and sleep. Fortunately for them, the overhead is full. Oh well, they don’t take up much space.

I wait until I watch the safety video to put on my seat belt. Don’t want to do it wrong. “What? I can’t smoke on the flight? Really? Now , what do I do? Oh, yeah. I don’t smoke, so no problem. I also prefer not to drown, so let’s avoid that whole water landing thing, too, OK?”

Getting late and the day is long, so I just sorta watch TV and doze. I have a great flight attendant in my area named Judy. She has been with Delta for 42 years. So you know she can write her own ticket and fly when she wants. We chat and she gives me extra peanuts. I am in the exit row, aisle seat, bulkhead by the restrooms. The guy next to me apparently considers his airfare to be a cover charge and the plane a giant cocktail lounge in the air. He keeps running Judy back and forth for Jack and Cokes. Eventually he falls asleep. Thank goodness! I fall asleep, too.

Until…

Apparently the movie ended and a lot of people got up to use the restroom at the same time. I hear noises back and forth across both sides of the plane from the restrooms kind of like an airborne “Battleship” game. Judy gets so disgusted she starts spraying Channel #5 in the air. I have never enjoyed smelling like a Delta flight attendant so much in my life. Near the end of the flight I swear I saw Napoleon Dynamite’s brother come out of the bathroom.

So, now I am in LAX for two hours. I get my first full meal of the day and start thinking about my next move. Then it hits me. Hamsters! My daughter, Little One, and I play a game where we pretend to be hamsters. She is a big Hannah Montana fan and so one day I altered some of the lyrics to “Party in the USA” to be “Party in the Hamster Cage”. She took it the rest of the way and finished the parody for us. The real song starts out, “I hopped off the plane in LAX…” and our parody is, “I hopped out the cage in LAX…” And here I was in LAX! Time to pull out the digital recorder!

I found an area that did not have a lot of people in it, right across from the “I Love LA” store. I set my backpack up on a vacant counter at the gate and prop up the camera. There was a weird guy next to me doing something on his computer, but this was the best spot to do my video. I did not have all of the lyrics memorized, but I went for it anyway. The result is at this link on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icW8tO936Ik.

My wife thought Little One and I should shoot a rendition of the song together, so in late January 2010, we recorded a duet. We call the “character” Hamster Montamster. Here is that video:

Back to the trip.

I edit my video in the Sky Club, freshen up a little and hit the plane at 10:30 pm. Once again, the breezeway is my friend. Back in the exit row, with the bulkhead. I love that row. I talk with my seat mate who is a college student at a Baptist college outside of Los Angeles. She is from South Carolina and headed home for Christmas break. We talk for a while, then she falls asleep. I want to sleep, but can’t. In my delirium of flight, I get an inspiration…

What if David Letterman gets wind of this trip. I mean, come on, this is the ultimate stupid human trick. 9,000 miles in 30 hours. I decide he would love the idea and invite me to come on the “Late Show” to do a Top Ten List, “Top 10 Things About Flying 9,000 Miles on Commercial Airlines in 30 Hours”:

#10: Wearing the same clothes for two days in a row

#9: All of the non-stressed, pleasant people who work for the airlines

#8: TSA never got suspicious of the same guy coming through security five times in 24 hours, but my grandma flies once in her life and gets strip-searched

#7: Guinness World Records certifies longest fingernails of all time, but ignores me

#6: Flying 9,000 miles while going commando

#5: Being lulled to sleep by the oceanic sounds of the restrooms

#4: Crashing a White House dinner (Oh yeah, that was the other idiots)

#3: No number 3, writer recording Miley Cyrus video parody as a swamp rat

#2: Tried riding a pogo stick all of the way on one flight; Guinness still yawns

#1: Peanuts, baby, peanuts!

I fall asleep, until…

Memphis. Are you kidding me? I fly over this city four times in one day and have turbulence every time. I can only guess it is caused by the residual effect of millions of hip gyrations from Elvis Presley causing seismic fluctuations over the area.

I make it back to Atlanta and I have almost three hours before my flight to Milwaukee. I am looking forward to my first class upgrade. “Yay! Gonna sleep. Yay!” I head to the Sky Club to update my Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and record a mid-trip update. You can watch it at the link below. I reference the making of the hamster video, but if you made it this far, then you have already seen it. Here’s the video anyway

My on-line update is:

2/3 thru Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest! Awesome to set a goal & have experience of achieving.

Obviously my verbosity is waning.

After grabbing breakfast, off to the gate for my Milwaukee flight. I settle into my big comfy, first class seat and all I can think is that we do not fly over Memphis! I am about to drift off to sleep, when I hear something strange. This is one of the older Delta planes. They do not have video screens throughout the plane, so they have to actually speak the safety script over the intercom and physically demonstrate it. The head flight attendant says, “Fasten the seat belt while seated…” How else would you do it? I doze off and dream that I am a crash test dummy.

Technology is great for travelers, but sometimes it does not cooperate. For some reason, I have not been able to print my boarding pass for the return from Milwaukee to Atlanta. So, I know that as soon as I get off the plane I know I have to immediately get my boarding pass at the ticket counter in Milwaukee for the return trip. We land after cruising in over Lake Michigan and I am psyched to get myself squared away for the last leg of my journey. I walk up the jet way and…

Head straight to the nearest seller of hot dogs.

So good. Yum! I log on to check email. Check the bank accounts. Credit card statement. Hmmm, what am I forgetting? Oh yeah, I have to head home! I run to the gate, the flight is nearly all boarded and they have given away my sweet exit row seat. So, I get seat 37A, right next to the restrooms. Soon, I am drifting away to the sounds of the ocean emanating from the restrooms.

I awake upon our arrival in Atlanta and I am really hungry. I want steak. The best I can do in the airport is steak fajitas. I savor them. Next step is to leave the secured area of the airport. I walk towards it with trepidation. Is my journey really done? Do I have all of the miles I need? I cross the line that you cannot come back from crossing and a bright light shines upon me…

I am Gold! What a great feeling! A few weeks later I find out that Guinness doesn’t think my effort is worthy of recognition (after all, it is not the “Most hand claps in 24 hours” record). But, I have a new mission in life. To be the best I can be—in all aspects of my life. If I simply put forth the same effort I did on this trip, then I can achieve all of the goals that I have for my life.

What is your “Gold Quest”? Share it below, or comment on how others can make their quests become real.

Five Hows

1) Install a community service requirement for all campus organizations, Emerging Leaders and Honors program participants, scholarship recipients, and SGA officers and senators, etc. This is pretty straight forward, but be prepared for push-back. Students will tell you they don’t have enough time to do community service, and that they are too busy with their leadership roles and other involvements. They may even use going to class as an excuse! Don’t buy it!

I was fortunate to work with a student in Circle K from Georgia Tech who showed me that academic success, leadership involvement, and community service did fit together. She was an honor student, involved in Circle K leadership (two years as chapter president, one year as District Governor) AND she worked for an engineering firm. During her last two years of school, she performed over 700 hours of community service while excelling in all other areas of her life. She was named as the Outstanding Chapter President in Georgia one year, and then Circle K International recognized her the next year as a Distinguished District Governor and the district won a Distinguished District Award for her year. She also received the Circle K International Service Recognition Award (for 250+ hours of service) each of those years. She was an exceptional student, a top student leader, and a true community servant. Come on, if she could do all of that, then your students can perform 5-10 hours of service per semester.

2) Provide an incentive and reward system. Some schools that I have spoken at have provided funding to organizations that are involved in community service. Others provide certificates, gift cards, and other “carrots” to encourage students to be involved. My Building Leaders Through Service® program recognizes students who participate in and plan community service projects. I have found that the participants have grown as a result of their involvement and while they did not do it for recognition, they did appreciate that someone noticed.

3) List community service involvement on their co-curricular transcript. Employers are always looking for an edge, something that sets one candidate apart from another. Give your students a leg up by showing their community service involvements on a co-curricular transcript. It is better than a resume’ because it has the gravitas of your institution. Also, the transcript may get more students involved because they know that they will get credit for the volunteer work they do.

4) Make community service easy! There are a lot of great ways for students to be involved. Some projects take a lot of time and planning. These are valuable to the service learning process. But some students may need to be eased into community service through some simple involvements. One of my favorite things to suggest is for students to read to elementary school children—because I have done this for more than 15 years! You can go read a couple of story books to Kindergarten, first, or second graders and they love it! The teachers are grateful because they get a break and the college students are treated like rock stars because the children really look up to them.

Don’t make community service tough. Let your students get involved with already functioning projects or simple involvements. Another easy project is Pet Therapy. Students go to an animal shelter and play with dogs and cats there. It is great for the animals as they get exercise and love. This can be taken to another level by getting the students to take the animals to a nursing home or assisted living center. The residents love it because they get personal interaction from your students and at the same time they get to play with the animals!

5) Create a student leadership position to oversee community service. Don’t take this all on yourself. Create an executive board position for community service and have a student oversee this. Can’t fund it? That’s OK! Lots of student will take on leadership roles for the experience regardless of getting a stipend or compensation. I spent thousands of hours working on behalf of Circle K, SGA, the Theatre Department, and more, and never got a dime. But, what I got in return has been invaluable. I spoke for the Oakland University (Michigan) “Make A Difference Day” and the whole event had a volunteer student leadership committee. They did projects in the morning and I presented a leadership program in the afternoon. Everyone who was involved got a t-shirt and the campus was plastered with posters. Student leaders signed up all of the participants.

I have personally performed over 50,000 hours of community service. I tell you this not so you will be impressed with me, but understand how important I feel this is. I am a product of others who have served and I have a debt that I know I can never fully repay.

“We can change the world…

By serving…

One life at a time.”

Dave Kelly, America’s student leadership Trainer(sm)

What student service success stories do you have? Share them in the comments section below.

SEE ALSO: “Building Leaders Through Service” – a workshop by Dave Gonzo Kelly, America’s Student Leadership Trainer(sm).

So, I joined the Scouts and when I got into high school, I joined a student organization dedicated to community service. It was in these organizations that I had my first formal leadership experiences. I found that through serving others, I was learning more about myself and how to be an effective leader.

As I moved on to college, I continued my community service involvement and sought out leadership opportunities. I moved up the ranks of Circle K International and eventually served as International President. I got to travel the world and speak to groups large and small. I was even on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. Twice!

I really enjoyed traveling, speaking and helping college students to achieve their goals and make great things happen. I became a state advisor for Circle K in Georgia and loved working with students and watching their leadership abilities grow through serving others. This led me to the career I now have as a collegiate speaker, mentor, and trainer.

Servant leadership is a term that was coined by Robert Greenleaf, an AT&T executive, in the late 60’s. He wrote the titular essay on the subject and posited that true leadership grows out of an attitude of service to others. The work he started continues today (www.greenleaf.org) and is carried out in the work of students everywhere.

I believe there are five reasons why you should want to involve your students in community service and five ways that you can implement community service into your student leadership programs. Part 1 of this blog post addresses the “whys” - the “hows” are covered in Part 2.

The “Five Whys” of Community Service

1) Servant leadership instills in students a life-time commitment to serving others. My daughter Amanda was introduced to community service through my Circle K involvement. At the age of six, she participated with me at a health fair for the local children’s hospital. The next year, she started the “Secret Service Club” at her elementary school. It was a group of students who worked to keep the grounds clean of garbage. She continued to be involved with service, was elected to the student council in elementary school, and joined service groups while in middle and high school. When she was 16, we started going on mission trips with our church to St. Lucia. She has a real love for the people of that country and the work that goes on there.

This is the type of commitment that I see over and over again from students who are involved in community service. Wouldn’t you be proud to be sending graduates of your school out all over the world, serving others and spreading the values they learned from your programs? These leaders will be making a difference for many years to come, changing their world and ours!

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” – Mahatma Gandhi

2) Involvement in community service becomes a natural component of their life. I spoke at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy a few years ago. After my program, one of the cadets took me on a tour of the campus. As we walked around, I noticed that she would pick up pieces of trash. She was really observant, because I never saw them! After a while, I asked her if she was expected to do this, if it was part of the honor code for the cadets. “No”, she replied, “I just do this on my own. I figure if I pick up one piece of trash every day, there will be 365 less pieces of trash in the world each year.” For her, it was a natural thing to do. If you get your students involved in community service, then servant leadership will become a natural part of who they are. (Watch the accompanying video - Servant Leadership: You Always Win With Service - for more on this story and another personal example of “natural service.”)

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa

3) Develop leadership through service learning (servant leadership). By involving your students in community service, they will learn lessons they cannot get anywhere else. I feel as though I learned as much or more from my co-curricular involvements (mostly community service) than I did in my classes! And over the years that I was an advisor for Circle K, I said this often at new club charter banquets, often with the college president in attendance. And they would agree with me! Service learning is hands-on learning that will last a lifetime.

In his book, Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness, Greenleaf wrote: “The servant-leader is servant first…It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”

“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

4) Community service provides value and benefit to campus organizations while enhancing the individual student’s educational experience. Campus organizations that involve themselves in community service, true service, provide a real opportunity for their members. Members get to serve others, providing them with positive experiences. They can see results and the experience becomes part of the background of their education. This enhances their critical thinking skills and they understand the connection between actions and results.

The service has to be meaningful though. I was a member of an honor society in college and we were required to do three projects per year: 1) community or campus service; 2) a cultural activity; and 3) a social activity. So, once a year, we would volunteer to be ushers at a campus play, stay to watch the play, and then go out for pizza afterwards. See ya next year! Make sure the students are involved, not just going through the motions to meet a campus requirement. Tell them to get their hands dirty and participate, not just sit on the sidelines.

When I was Circle K International President, I went out to a day of service near Los Angeles and while I was raking leaves and digging up weeds at the home of an elderly person, I saw the local chapter and state leaders leaning on a car chatting and laughing. I admonished them for their lack of hands-on involvement and got them to help with the work. Make sure everyone participates in the service activities!

“I believe…that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good to another.” – Thomas Jefferson

5) Service learning programs can provide demonstrable results to your campus administration, particularly in light of diminishing programming and campus activities dollars. Community service doesn’t cost much, if anything! It is a valuable commodity in these days of limited resources. You can also see the results. You can count the number of service hours performed by your students. You can ask them to write blogs or essays on their experiences. They can Facebook and Twitter about what they have learned. Community service gives you tangible results that you can show to those who oversee your departments and approve your budgets. Here’s the thing: would you rather show successful service results or have to explain why you had a foul-mouthed comedian on your campus who contributed absolutely nothing to your student’s educational experience?

“It’s not about what you have or what you’ve accomplished. It’s about who you’ve lifted up and made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.” - Academy Award® Winner Denzel Washington

So, those are five whys, along with thoughts of great servant leaders. Part 2 of my blog post  will suggest five ways to get your students involved in community service.

What student service success stories do you have? Share them in the comments section below.

Building Leaders Through Community Service…
Go To Part 2 of this series

SEE ALSO: “Building Leaders Through Service” – a workshop by Dave Gonzo Kelly, America’s student leadership Trainer(sm).

See larger image Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness 25th Anniversary Edition (Hardcover) By (author) Robert K. Greenleaf, Larry C. Spears List Price: $24.95 USD New From: $15.00 In Stock Used from: $9.87 In Stock

Success Tactic #1- The event was put together by Mandie Thacker, the leadership coordinator of the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, with the assistance of a committee of active, engaged students. This was the 46th annual fall conference! That tells me something about the consistency of this event (an important ingredient in developing student leaders). It is something students can count on and look forward to each fall. The co-chairs had both previously served on the planning committee and had experience in putting the event on.

Success Tactic #2- The committee developed a theme “Leadership Boot Camp: Raising the Bar” and carried it through all aspects of the event. The planning committee, staff, and volunteers all wore camouflage pants and conference t-shirts in camo green with the conference theme on it. The leadership team came into the event in a military boot camp style and their verbiage, actions, and body language all supported the theme.

I feel this is important in order to really get the “buy-in” of attendees. I have seen some fantastic theme ideas at conferences and events that I have gone to, only to find the theme was little more than a marketing slogan and had no relevance to the event itself.

Success Tactic #3 – The program was organized into leadership tracks. This was apparently the first time they had used this idea and it worked well to circulate the students to different presenters and also give guidance to those who may not have had an idea of which programs to attend. My break-outs were part of the “Leadership Legacy” track, and some students stayed with me for both sessions, while some did not. It gave a purpose and a plan to the day and made the attendees think about what sessions would be most beneficial to them.

Success Tactic #4– Promotion targeted at gaining commitment. The committee engaged various departments on campus, such as Greek Life, Intramurals and Recreation, Residence Life, and others to send student representatives to the Boot Camp. These students were selected by their department and exhibited a real pride in their representation responsibilities. Each attendee had to pay a $15 conference fee. In some cases, it was paid by the department, but many students paid this fee themselves. Of course, they received more than $15 in “tangible benefits” such as a conference t-shirt and lunch, but the idea of there being money on the line really seemed to strengthen the commitment to learning and receiving value for dollars and time spent.

Mission Accomplished! – 350+ students attended that day, which was double the previous year. I like to think it was because of me! However, I realistically know that the staff and the planning committee put together a great event, created a plan for success, and then executed their mission flawlessly on the day of the conference.

What has worked for you in putting together successful student leadership conferences? Share your ideas below, or write your own blog and submit it to Campus Talk Blog.

More about Dave ‘Gonzo’ Kelly’s Student Leadership Programs.

By the way… The lady in the picture is Mandie. The little lady is my daughter – not quite ready for college yet!

There is another large pool of student leaders on your campus who sometimes get overlooked and who also need to develop their leadership skills. Those are the officers and prominent members of other campus organizations. A half- or full-day training program can help run their organizations more effectively, get more students involved, and do some great things for your school and community. A great benefit of this training is that you increase involvement of more students through the organizations. This should lead to increased retention of those students at your institution, give them a greater sense of connection to the school, and diminish the challenges and disciplinary situations that you and other administrators may have to face. Overall, these students will have enhanced their educational experience and be better prepared for life beyond school.

Consider a combination of events in order to use your time and leadership budget more effectively. In 2008, I did a program for University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College SGA officers on a Friday night and then led their campus organization leadership training the next day and it was a great success. On Friday night, the SGA officers worked on communication as a team, recognizing diversity within the team, and team building. The next day, they served as the support staff for the organization leaders’ training program by setting up in the morning, running registration, serving lunch, and more. This helped to melt away some the “us versus them” mentality because everyone worked together to have an excellent day of training.

These types of events are great, but they are only the beginning! Students are on a steep learning curve as leaders. Their situations evolve rapidly throughout the year as they face new challenges and learn more about themselves, their leadership styles, and new leadership techniques. These all combine to help them improve themselves and further their leadership skills. What do you do after the fall retreat to keep the learning curve going up? Here are five ideas you can use right away:

1) Have a monthly leadership series with short seminars either on topics that were not covered in the fall retreat, or to expand on some of those topics that were presented. Try this on a weeknight for maybe one to two hours and offer food! Another option is to have a single three-to-four hour session during the semester for the same purpose. Consider it continuing education for campus leaders and give out certificates for participation. It will also help those students who have stepped up to take over a leadership position because someone else resigned after the initial fall event.

2) Publish a short newsletter that can be emailed to all campus leaders, posted on your department’s Facebook page (or set up a specific page just for this purpose), and/or printed and left in campus mailboxes. Devote this newsletter to upcoming events and activities, a single leadership topic, and use it as a forum for students to ask leadership questions. In the case of the latter, assign a group of students to write the responses, ask for ideas from faculty members, or use your contacts in student affairs to get professionals from other schools or experts in the field to offer answers and solutions.

3) Create a campus organizations presidents’ roundtable. This group would meet to discuss issues, share ideas, work on synergistic opportunities, and more. You may or may not have a specific agenda for this meeting, allowing for free flow of dialogue and sharing amongst the group. On some campuses, such roundtables meet every other week; others, once a month. Find out what works best for your campus leaders. A variation on this is for the advisors to have their own roundtable group. This approach can greatly benefit your students’ leadership growth because the advisors learn from their colleagues how to better help the students deal with issues, “drama”, and a myriad of other situations certain to come up during the year.

4) Keep your campus leaders focused on their goals. At some point, possibly the fall leadership retreat, the officers of the organizations, as well as each student themselves, should establish a series of goals for their term. What vision do they have? What stepping stones will they need to achieve that vision? At designated points during the year, follow-up with them to make sure they are working towards their goals. This could be through the follow-up seminars, the roundtables, or maybe even by tweeting to all of the students on Twitter.com reminders and tips to help them achieve their goals.

5) End the school year with a celebration of leadership! Have a party, a banquet, a fun day, or something to recognize everyone for making it. This celebration should be announced at the fall event so that the students have something to look forward to. It may be the one thing to get them through the challenging times they may face. Make it an annual tradition and it may become part of the “package” that causes a student to step up to become a leader in their group or even in one of the campus-wide organizations such as student government.

By creating a culture of student leadership on your campus, you will be playing an important part in student success!

Glass Beach used to be a public dump. Refuge was thrown off the cliff and into the ocean including old cars, household garbage, and a lot of glass. In 1967, the dump, located in Ft. Bragg, California, a little coastal town in the northern part of the state, was closed. At first, the beach was a natural disaster but after years of pounding surf, tons and tons of polished glass looking like priceless gems were deposited on the shore.

In the 1990s, Glass Beach was reopened to the public. In the summer of 2006, I found myself sitting on its shoreline and I realized that my life was like this polished glass! No one had given me hope for college. My high school counselor even told me, “You will never get accepted by a college, but if by fluke you do, you will never make it. You just don’t have what it takes.”

Well, I did get accepted and it was by my first-choice college! However, I left after my freshman year. I felt ruined, worthless, and tossed away. Storms, rough waves, and circumstances made me feel like the pieces of glass that had been dumped into the ocean: broken.

Two years later, a single mom with a minimum-wage job, I returned to college. What happened to me those next few years was nothing short of a miracle. As I weathered the storms and was tossed by the waves, my life was being polished. Back then, I didn’t recognize what was happening to me as instructors, mentors, and peers washed me to shore as a shining gem. I was no longer broken trash.

The jar of polished glass on my desk reminds me of where I came from. Without the storms, waves, and pounding, that glass would be just glass. But want a difference adversity can make in a broken life!

Do you toss others aside as trash and broken refuse? Or, do you push them forward, gently brushing off and reshaping sharp, jagged edges, allowing their scratched lives to shine? I choose to be a glass polisher.

I would love to hear your story, too. Please take a moment to comment here with your story. And then, why not drop a note to one of your mentors to thank them for being a glass polisher for you?

I wasn’t kidding! I really do want to write about YOU in a future blog post! Tell me how you have overcome obstacles, achieved goals, or surpassed the expectations of others—especially those who may have underestimated you. If you want to tell me your story, but don’t want me to publish your name, I can do that too!

Are you in a rut, bunky? Feeling like every day is like the day before? And you are certain that you are not caught up in a “Star Trek” or “Groundhog Day” like time loop?

I have an idea for you!

Change things up! Do something impulsive, unusual, or out of your world. Go for a bike ride, take a dance class, or apply to be an astronaut. An astronaut? Sure! You might not make it, but would it not be cool to go through the interview process?

Or take a trip. As a professional speaker, I travel a lot. My primary airline is Delta Airlines, since I travel from Atlanta, and I annually qualify as a “Silver Medallion” frequent flyer (25,000 miles flown in a calendar year). Each of the past three years I have fallen 5-6,000 miles short of “Gold Medallion” status (50,000 miles). That is very frustrating, because as a “Silver” I get one bonus mile for every four that I fly. As a “Gold”, I would get a one to one, plus a higher priority for upgrades, and some other perks.

I am currently 9,500 miles short of making it to “Gold” status. I have a flight to Milwaukee at the end of the month that will get me 669 miles. So, how do I get to my coveted status? My goal?

I am doing something different!

I am going to get on a plane in Atlanta on December 15 and fly to LAX airport (1941 miles). Then, I am going to return to Atlanta an hour later (1941 miles). And after I get to Atlanta? I am going to do it again! 3882 miles! That is 7,664 miles in a 24 hour period.

That will leave me around 1,160 miles short of what I need to qualify as a “Gold”. So, upon my return to Atlanta, I will hop a flight to Milwaukee, and fly right back an hour after landing.

Crazy? Yes. Stupid, In some people’s eyes, sure. But, am I excited and looking forward to it? Absolutely! For over 20 years, I did the 9-7, on call all the time, many times working until midnight and hating it. Life is too short not to have some fun and do something goofy.

And I have submitted it to the “Guinness Book of World Records” for consideration as “Most Miles Flown in a 24 Hour period on a Commercial Airline within the Continental United States”. I’ll let you know if they accept it!

This plan of mine might not work for you. I got some incredible airfare deals, or else I would not be doing it. However, what can you do to break your routine? To give yourself something to look forward to? My wife and Little One became members of the Georgia state parks’ Canyon Club. They have already visited two of the four canyons in Georgia and are looking forward to the others.

Break your routine. Be crazy. Do something fun.

By the way, you can follow my adventure, which I am calling “Gonzo’s Great Gold Quest: Delta Airlines and Me” on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The first of my video updates can be seen at  above.

Feel free to live vicariously through me those days. Happy skies!

Why do I love it so? Well, it is about high school, and I went to high school. It is about athletes, and I was an athlete as a prep (8 letters in 3 sports-most in my class, thank you!). And it is about show choir, which I was a member of. In fact, the Horace Mann High Schoolswing choir went to state two of the three years that I was involved. The one year we did not make it was because of a prima donna guy who messed up everything for everyone. The first year, when I was a sophomore, we won at state with a combo of “Cry Me a River” and “All For The Best” from the Broadway show “Godspell”. That was our school musical that year and I was bitten by the acting bug and the joy of being in front of audiences.

What are your favorite “Glee!” moments?

My favorite moments so far: “Don’t Stop Believing” from the pilot episode; the football team scoring a touchdown while dancing to “Put a Ring On It;” the Glee Club version during an all school assembly of “Push It” and then Sue’s reaction… “That was the most disturbing thing I have ever seen and I am including an elementary school production of ‘Hair’;” the Slurpee episode, Kristin Chenoweth, and the “mash-up” competition.

What are your favorite “Glee!” moments? Share them below! I will write more in the future, including the dish on that prima donna from my school days!

I stayed in Cleveland Thursday night and then drove to Erie, PA and an advisor’s program on Friday afternoon followed by a packed house of around 140 students at Gannon University for a full day leadership retreat. It was awesome! That was followed by a quick drive to Cleveland’s Hopkins Airport and a flight to LaGuardia for a Campus organization Leadership Training (COLT) program at a student leadership conference on Sunday at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn.

This blog is not about any of those programs, but, rather, about what I did on my “off” day in Cleveland on Thursday, September 10. I had sent out an email to schools in the Cleveland-Erie corridor letting them know I would be in the area and available for a program on that Thursday. Well, one of the schools that I have previously spoken at, Cuyahoga Community College-East Campus, could not schedule me, but their Director of Student Life and Athletics Rita McKinley invited me to come by their Welcome Week activity that day. It was a cookout with a DJ and caricature artist. I thought this would be fun and a great way to spend my night (rather than just sitting in a hotel), so I agreed to come by. Little did I know what was actually in store for me!

When I got on campus, I found Rita and she took me over to the cookout area, and introduced me to her assistant, Melvin. She told him who I was and that I was there to help…serve food! After deftly picking my jaw up off of the ground, so no one noticed, I said, “Yup, that’s right, put me to work.” And he did! So, for the next couple of hours I served Italian Sausages and corn dogs to the hungry new and returning students (and faculty-they love free food, too!). When I wasn’t serving food, I walked around and talked to students and told them about the free caricature artist (gotta make sure they take advantage of the “free stuff” that they actually pay for through their student fees). The artists were Diana Handley and Roland Naploi from WeAreFun.com. And they were great. The students really appreciated the sketches.

There was also an awesome DJ, Freddie James of Freddie James Djs. He kept the music going and the students were dancing and having fun. One student, Janice, danced while she was in line for the caricature, for the food, and everywhere in between. I tried several times to get her on video and I finally did in the clip that accompanies this blog.

The most surprising thing to me of the night was that it took the Campus Police about an hour to show up for the free food! But, boy did they make up for it when they found us. I never saw so many hot dogs, Italian Sausages, and corn dogs consumed by so few people!

I got to meet some other staff members, including Angie and Mynette, who work in the Student Life office. I really got a sense that these professionals have a servant’s heart and love their students. The cookout was the culmination of three days of Welcome Activities. On Tuesday, the clubs and organizations got to show their wares with tables, a balloon artist kept everyone entertained, and students got to make t-shirts with their own funny sayings on them. Wednesday had a motivational speaker who specializes in study skills–always important! It was a really great way to start the school year, and, as a community college it was fun for the whole family. A number of students brought their kids by to get something to eat and get their caricature done. I enjoyed meeting them and the “night students” who usually do not get a chance to participate in things going on campus due to work and family obligations.

It was really awesome for me to be called on to serve and to dive in and do it and have fun. I believe that service to others is one of the most valuable things we can do. It was a great way to spend a day off. Who knows? Maybe I can serve hot dogs at your school, too!

Please share your welcome activities and ideas in the comment section below and in that way you can be of service to other campus life professionals.

The idea is for the members of the team to have a shared experience, something they can relate to later, joke about, etc. This activity also gets the members of the team out of their comfort zone as they get to relate to each other in a close, but non-threatening way. Things can get silly so it is also a good tension breaker. It also puts members of the team who may be in different levels of leadership on an even plane, other than their ability to contain their laughter.

Here are the instructions for this activity if you wish to try it yourself.

Part 1: Getting set up…

1) Divide the teams into even numbers, if possible. An odd extra person really does not hurt this activity. Either choose the team to have the extra member by random, or let the groups choose by playing up to their pride or through some playful trash talking. I like groups of 10-12, although I have done it with less, and with as many as 23. You want to have big enough groups to make it a challenge, but not so big that it becomes an impossible task. The 23 person group was a board that needed to accomplish a task together and they became cheerleaders for each other.

2) The goal is to have every person participate by lying on the floor with their head on the tummy of another team member. They must say the word “HA” without laughing. Each additional team member adds “HAs” based on what number they are in the chain of bodies.

3) Instruct the group to figure out who their most giggly members are. Those are the people whom they want to lay down earlier in the activity. If any member of the group breaks out in laughter at any time, then they must get everyone up and start over.

Part 2: Here are the steps…

1) The team decides what order they will go in;

2) The first member lies on the floor with his/her knees in the air and says “HA”;

3) The next person (#2) lays down, with his/her head on the tummy of the first person and says, “HA, HA”, person #1 then says “HA”

4) The third person in line lies down with their head on the tummy of person #2, and says “HA, HA, HA”, person #2 then says “HA, HA”, and then person #1 says “HA”.

5) Continue to add people in sequence, with their heads on the tummies on the previous person, increasing the number of “HAs” with each person and each person already laying on the floor repeats their number of HAs until each person has done so. Then another person lies on the floor and the sequence begins again.

6) If any person in the sequence laughs, even just, a little, make the whole group get up and start over.

7) Once the group gets each member on the floor and goes through the sequence without laughing, they are done. The first team to make it all the way through, wins.

A fun variation, after the group has successfully completed the task, is to reverse the “HAs” and go back through. For example, if there are 10 people in the group, then the first person on the floor from before now has to say 10 :HAs:, #2, nine :HAs”, and all the way back down the line. If they falter at this, I suggest not making them get up, just have them start over. This part is not a competition, just a little bit of fun.

We did this activity at VCC right before lunch. This is a good activity to do before a break of some sort in your event. It gets everyone loose and having fun and hopefully that carries on through the break. Who says leadership can’t be fun?!

Gonzo.

What mountains do you have to climb? What obstacles are presenting themselves to you that are keeping you from getting to where you want to go? Do you have to face “monsters” and “riddles” that seem to come out of nowhere? Have you ever been so close to being in possession of a goal that you couldn’t believe and you almost messed it up because you didn’t know what to do to achieve your objective? That is the story of George.

And it is the story of every one, whether student, parent, teacher, leader, or any of a number of other categories people could be put into. The truth is that you do have a mountain to climb to get to where you want to go. Most people are content to just stay at the base. But those who venture out experience great adventures, highs and lows, and ultimately, success.

What if you had no choice, like George in the story, but to have to climb your mountain? Would you make it to the top? Or would you give up along the way and toss your broken dreams on the pile created by others before you?

We are all students of life. And to create student success, it takes effort. It takes an aversion to fear. It takes the determination necessary to get to the top of our mountains and then accept the victory we have won.

It takes… a Drobble. Share your “George” moments below and may you find your secret of life!

I remember my new student orientation program as though it were yesterday (it wasn’t). All of the incoming freshmen—yes, once upon a time, new students were called freshmen (not First Years, New Students, Post-Secondary Initiates, etc)—gathered in Albee Hall on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. We were given some basic rules and “do nots” of the university and then were organized into groups of ten with an experienced student — I don’t think he was even called Orientation Leader– who had us sit in a circle outside on the grass. He prompted us to introduce ourselves to each other, with our name, hometown, major, and, I think, the number of pets we grew up with. We then adjourned to the student activities fair with dunk tanks, ball toss, and other carnival games. I started classes the next day.

Oh, how things have changed!

Now New Student Orientation/First Year Experience/Welcome Week programs are the subject of much debate, theoretical evaluation, surveys, observation, testing, and case studies. Yet, statistics from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education’s report “Measuring Up: The National Report Card on Education” indicate that more than half of the students who begin a post-secondary education program this fall will not, within six years, graduate with a degree or receive the certification they are seeking. Business is certainly booming on the admissions side of the equation but, somewhere between acceptance and commencement, there is a huge disconnect. Today, this space is dedicated to helping new students get off on the right foot and trying to help more students go from orientation to graduation.

Nowadays, new students have all kinds of backgrounds. Some are from the traditional route—straight out of high school. Many are first generation college students. Others are returning from military service, taking an educational break to raise families, recovering after life-changing situations like divorce or the death of a spouse, or any number of other situations. Regardless of the background or circumstances, success is possible and can even be programmed through the orientation process.

I speak from my own experience… I am a first generation college graduate, cum laude, who grew up in a mobile home in a trailer park on the side of a state highway, who only was able to afford to go to school because my parents were divorced and my mother made so little money that I qualified for government grants and loans. I have worked with thousands of college students over the years and my experiences pinpoint three keys to student success:

1) Visualization: Students have to be able to SEE themselves succeeding. Many of the students that I talk with when I speak at new student orientation programs are focused on everything BUT graduation. They are worried about their finances, classes, when can they go home, boyfriends/girlfriends, husbands/wives, or a combination of these things and more. Yet, when I ask them what their graduation day will LOOK like, they have not even considered it! Teach your students to keep their “eye on the prize” and they can weather a lot of storms. I used mental images of walking across the stage and receiving my diploma to keep me going in the tough times. I have shared that same concept with own my daughter, a college junior, who has had her own struggles yet , I am confident that she will graduate within two years.

2) A Blueprint for Success: I teach students how to chart their path from the day of orientation to the day of graduation. I teach them to establish a dream, determine their goals (stepping stones), and the plans they are going to have to enact (everyday activities) in order to achieve student success. Show your students that there is a connection between how they conduct themselves daily and their ultimate success: their diploma. Their daily actions do make a difference as to whether they will ever graduate. I had friends in college who were more focused on partying than going to class or studying. I will admit that I enjoyed spending time with them in their pursuits, but I would always disappear around mid-terms and finals. I graduated, they did not. I had short and long-term goals that kept me going toward my ultimate dream.

3) Maintain a positive attitude: When things get really tough, a belief in one’s self can keep a person going. I use affirmations to keep my attitude positive. Affirmations are those things that you claim victory over that you have now or expect to have in the future. Some of mine are, “I am a successful professional speaker,” “I am a great father,” “I am a super husband,” and “I am in excellent physical condition.” OK, the last one is not exactly true, YET, but it will be! I was telling myself that “I am a successful professional speaker” long before I ever was one! I say them to myself on a daily basis, as often as possible. These really keep me motivated and keep me focused on all that is positive in my life so that I can make my dreams come true. Teach positive attitude techniques to your students and they will have an attitude of success that will get them to graduation.

Incorporate these ideas into your New Student Orientation/First Year Experience/Welcome Week/etc. programs and you will find more of your students will be able to take pride in crossing the stage to accept their diploma!

Add your ideas below and share them with your fellow orientation professionals.