Thursday, January 15, 2009

The best hard work you'll ever do!

Buenas dias!

Last night I returned from the trip of a lifetime. Ten members of the BSC community left January 7th for a one week volunteer trip to Guaimaca, Honduras and returned changed people. Our primary focus was to make a substantial start to the addition of a medical clinic. With our local handyman Danilo as our leader we worked daily to dig the foundation of the new facility, mix the cement, move the cement blocks, and assemble the wire rebar. I spent the week working the most satisfying hard work I have ever done. Througout my time in Honduras I was challenged seeing a world so drastically different from the comforts of home. I was inspired and humbled by the people I met. I felt honored to be walking along side the people of Guaimaca. I could feel a change. I felt a change in myself that happens in that remote part of yourself that you can only get to through experiential learning. It's a place where compassion and humility meet with drive and determination.

Not to be Ministered Unto, But to Minister. It's not just a tagline or a motto, it's a lifestyle. It's a choice to give back to the community both locally and globally. It's what makes being a BSC Bear so special. So if you haven't volunteered, make it your 2009 resolution you'll be surprised what you learn about yourself and our world.

2009 has big things ahead for OSIL

Hi everyone!

Greetings from OSIL 2009. We have been back since January 5 and working hard to plan for a great semester. Today we are recuperating from the past two days of new student and transfer orientation programs and we greeted just about 450 new members of the BSC community.

I don't know if you realized how many people start their careers on campus in the middle of the year, but with the economy going south and a variety of other reasons students transfer in general we probably shouldn't be surprised. We're excited that the future is so bright for BSC!

I'd like our faithful readers (are you out there?) to comment with some important advice for new students that may be arriving now. What do you think they should do to be successful?