Brianna Wallace Reflection Paper 2 Professor Wesley UNIV 392 Section 002 6/25/12 Training for orientation leaders

directed its mission toward connecting with students and making them feel welcome on campus. I was prepared for the students to exhibit a variety of emotions, ranging from nervous energy to fear of being in a new place away from their childhood homes. The intensified emotions and worries of the parents who participated in the program took me by surprise. My most influential experience thus far in being an Orientation Leader occurred when I worked Parent Staff during the first Discover Loyola session. One experience changed the way I now look at my own family, future aspirations, leadership skills, and the way I present discussions for future orientations.

When I was notified that I would be interacting primarily with parents for my first orientation, I quickly reevaluated my leadership role. Surely I would function as a pool of information rather than someone to spread influence. As I mingled and smiled at those coming into the parent reception, I noticed a woman standing on the periphery of the group, looking down sorrowfully into her drink. I quickly introduced myself and kindly asked if she needed anything. All of a sudden she looked up at me and said, How do I know that my daughter will be okay? My baby is moving away you know. Her voice cracked as she gave a weak smile. I quickly thought back to training to see what could have prepared me for this challenging conversation. Scenes of the True Colors assessment at the LUREC retreat entered my mind as well as the subsequent discussion about how I as a "Blue" leader exhibit leadership through passion for work and personal interest for every individual in the group. No longer questioning myself, I explained to the mother that, though her daughter will be away from home, she will have fun meeting friends and living in a new educational environment. Her daughter will miss her home and family, but is entering into an exciting new chapter in life. As I answered more of the mothers questions about registration, study abroad, and life away from home, I could see her gather her bearings and start to smile with every new piece of information. By the end of our conversation, I could tell that

Brianna Wallace Reflection Paper 2 Professor Wesley UNIV 392 Section 002 6/25/12 she was reassured with her daughters choices and looking forward to the fall. With a thankful hug and a smile of gratitude, she left with the other parents to Simpson Dining Hall. The next day, a girl came up to me smiling and told me that I had spoken with her mother the day before. I have no idea what you said to my mother, but you made her feel better about letting me go away to school, she said, She is so excited. She even wants to go shopping for dorm supplies this weekend. Thank you so much. As the girl walked away, I saw the woman I talked to smile and wave. I had originally thought of parents and students as separate groups. I could not recognize the obvious relationship of influence between the parents and their children until seeing how reassuring the mother led to the daughter feeling excited about college. After reading the class text, Leadership: Theory and Practice, I realized that I had been missing the big picture, just as the military officer in Case Study 3.2, (Northouse 58). I was slightly upset that I could not work with the students for my first orientation, but was still happy to be helping the parents. What I did not realize is that by encouraging their parents, I was influencing the students as well. As they left, I tried to remember back to my own experience the summer before my freshman year. I saw that leaving for college must have taken an emotional toll on my family. Did my mother feel the same as the woman I just spoke to? Did she simply put on a brave face so that I would not worry? I realized that I should pay more attention to the leaving home dynamic while on Parent Staff, and especially address the topic while working with students, as they might be less likely to admit to being anxious about leaving home. Before reading the class texts, I was unsure about what it meant to be a leader, especially a Jesuit leader. I had always felt that leadership was something innate: a drive, a passion, a calling to influence others. I now realize that leadership is manifested uniquely in everyone, and Leadership: Theory and Practice has defined my interpretation of leadership as taking a mix between the skills and trait approach. I believe that certain individuals feel the need to take on leadership roles, but that anyone can become a

Brianna Wallace Reflection Paper 2 Professor Wesley UNIV 392 Section 002 6/25/12 leader through obtaining and exercising leadership skills. Heroic Leadership claims that Jesuit leaders do not need an established group with a common goal in order to influence others. Simply by being a moral and kind person, one spreads positive influence so that others can better themselves. A Jesuit leader sees that leadership opportunities arise every day and must be taken advantage of in order for positive change to occur. The Jesuits incorporate the concept of magis, or more, in that some opportunities may ask for more than expected, but a true Jesuit leader will take on the task because of his dedication to making a change in the world. Though I was daunted by the womans sudden outburst of emotions at the parent reception, I was able to seize the opportunity for leadership and reassure her, eventually helping more people than I had originally anticipated. Our conversation led to a better understanding of my personal relationships and professional goals in understanding the influence between parents and students.

Brianna Wallace Reflection Paper 2 Professor Wesley UNIV 392 Section 002 6/25/12

Works Cited Lowney, Chris. Heroic leadership: best practices from a 450-year-old company that changed the world. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003. Print. Northouse, Peter Guy. Leadership: theory and practice. 4th ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2007. Print.