Millenial Insights

This term, I'm one of two teaching assistants in a class at the University of Oregon called Values-Based Leadership. I helped conceptualize and implement this class, and it's great to see it finally come into existence. The title sounds vague, I know, but what I prefer to call it is the Greek Leadership class. Open to new members of the University's fraternity and sorority community, this small class is helping freshmen begin to understand how they can be leaders in their chapters and on campus, by investigating their own personal leadership styles, exploring other styles, and discussing issues for our community. I have seldom met such an impressive group of 18-20 year olds. No, seriously. They blow my mind with some of their insights and comments about what leadership is.

That's why I'm so excited to see how they develop over the next 7 weeks. We have assigned to them a final project of a 3-5 minute documentary video about some issue that pertains to the Oregon Greek community. Today, we helped them brainstorm a list of topics, and seeing their wheels start turning was fantastic. To give them an idea of what such a video could look like, our director showed this video from Kansas State University. While it doesn't directly talk about Greek Life at all, it is A) a unique way to present information, and B) gives some quality insights into today's millenial students. Check it out below, and I'll post class updates from time to time.

Dance Marathon, Part 2

Just a quick update on the aftermath of Dance Marathon.

Here are two articles in local Eugene papers about the event, if you're one of those people that likes their news unbiased and proofread. (Reporting, shmeporting.)

First, the Oregon Daily Emerald's piece is here.
Next, The Register-Guard's piece is here.

Another benefit of the articles in legit news sources is that they have pictures. But nothing can top this picture that ended the slideshow that was shown in the last minutes of the 15 hours of Dance Marathon 2008. It captures a DM dancer in all her glory: sweaty, wearing shades she found on the stage and beads she got from the Morale Director, fully experiencing a dancing delirium, and loving every minute of it.



















(Yes, that is me. And yes, it was hour 14 of dancing. Don't judge me.)

A Shameless Pat on My Back

Last night, I participated in one of my favorite philanthropic events: the University of Oregon's Dance Marathon, a 15-hour dance party to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. This incredibly worthy cause provides funding to hospitals (in our case, Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene and Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland) to buy equipment for their neo-natal intensive care units. Local families who have benefited from the services that CMN provides came to DM and shared their incredible stories. One set of twin boys ran circles around their mother onstage as she told of their heart failure and teensy size as a result of their 3-months-too-early birth. Without the CMN-funded equipment, they would not have survived.

Here is the promotional video the DM crew made of last year's event, the first ever event of its kind on the Oregon campus.


Last year, I wore jeans and flip flops, had a great time, ended up exhausted, and helped raise $17,800.
This year, I wore workout shorts and tennis shoes, had an amazing time, ended up with blisters and a stiff back, and helped raise $32,000-- and the money is still coming in!

I woke up at 6:30 am to make it to my 7:15 check-in time, and pretty much didn't stop moving until midnight. If you think I was actually dancing uninhibited the whole time... well, you're close to correct. First, everyone learns the Morale Dance, a big line dance that is performed once an hour, partially to keep track of the hours and partially to get everyone doing the same thing at once to, you guessed it, boost morale. Here is a practice video of this year's dance:


Different DJs played sets, dance instructors taught us how to salsa and waltz, three different UO dance teams performed, a high school a capella group sang, and we played various games. But in between all of that, we were dancing and dancing and dancing. The only time I sat was when I was going to the bathroom and when I was putting Band-Aids on my feet to prevent blisters. (That didn't work.) I may be sore today, but getting together with a huge group of people for such a great cause was a blast. I felt so proud when they announced the total at the end of the night, because I know that all of that money is going directly into my community. Plus, I can never turn down a dance party.

Now where's my Advil?