2012 Palmer Award Recipients

Drum roll please as we announce this year's recipients of the Palmer Award!

The Stats

Name: Jordan Edelheit

Session: The Ohio State University 2011

Institution: The Ohio State University

The Vision

To create an event that would help share new perspectives while strengthening the Buckeye community  at The Ohio State University.

The Passion

After participating in an empowering TEDx event while on Semester at Sea, Jordan decided she wanted to host OSU's first ever TEDx event. It was an event Jordan hoped would "bring together thinkers and doers from a wide spectrum of departments and backgrounds around campus and put them in a room with hundreds of attentive students and see where inspiration could lead our new TEDx community." Jordan noted in her application that she feels as though she is on a life journey that she would not have imagined without her experience at LeaderShape and the family she gained there. She writes that although she may not be able to pay back all that she has been given, she can certainly pay it forward. 

The Impact

TEDxOhioStateUniversity was a success! Jordan and her team welcomed over 300 attendees, 10 speakers, and 3 performance groups and included livestream viewers from West Virginia to China. The momentum generated from the event has led to the planning of a second TEDxOhioStateUniversity as well as an effort of bringing the first TEDx event to a prison in North America.

The Stats
Name: Patrick Oathout
Session: The LeaderShape Institute in Boston 2011
Institution: Duke University

The Vision
To create a free mobile application that allows users to communicate with refugees and aid workers by submitting reports via SMS text messaging, email, a mobile application, a website, and Twitter hashtags.

The Passion
Patrick's desire to address the needs of refugees and aid workers around the world is what led to the development of a free mobile application called Uhuru. According to Patrick's application, "Uhuru allows resettled refugees to connect with one another using crowd mapping to advertise ventures in their local communities. U.S. domestic resettlement policy encourages entrepreneurship among refugee communities, and this application facilitates the way individuals market their activities."

In order to develop Uhuru, it was necessary for Patrick to do more research on the needs of refugees and how to create a mobile application. He traveled to Washington DC to learn more about USAID, researched the web on creating an app, and traveled to Amman, Jordan to beta-test the application with Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian refugees.

The Impact
Patrick share's that "Uhuru has expanded the capacity for social entrepreneurship into crowd sourcing.  Refugees can now advertise their entrepreneurial activity in a free, easy-to-use, interface that’s received many accolades." Additionally, through this work, Patrick has become more committed to supporting refugees and is teaching English to them while in Jordan. You can learn more about his teaching experience here.


Thanks to all of those who took the time to apply for the Palmer Award. It was a pleasure to read about all of the really generous and bold efforts you are all making. Each LeaderShape graduate working towards his or her goals helps us to get closer and closer to a just, caring, thriving world. Please don't stop!

Cheerleaders

The 2012 Summer Olympics! I love them. Love. Them. Like many, I am so inspired and moved watching these athletes focus, compete, and work to reach their dreams. BIG dreams. Olympic sized dreams, right?

In addition to the amazing feats of athleticism we witness during the Games, we also see the faces of those who love, support, and cheer on the competitors. Parents, siblings, partners, friends, coaches, and entire home towns all rooting for their Olympian. And there is nothing commonplace about this support. It is filled with undeniable passion. Passion that, at times, brings me to tears or cheers myself and I don't even know the athletes!

These folks are true cheerleaders. And they have me thinking about who I'm cheering for. What am I cheering for. What about you? What and who is so important that you would stand up, scream, shout, cry, and travel across the world for?

Life after the Institute - Day 7 - can be filled with wins and losses. We all need support to accomplish our dreams. So let's take a minute to offer that support, to cheer someone along who is going after their own Olympic-sized dreams.

of Dreams and Deeds

Those of us who work in the LeaderShape office have the great joy of hearing from participants and facilitators of The LeaderShape Institute as they share their experiences, insights, and memories. This week I received an email from Ayokunle Falomo from the University of Houston that I'd like to share it with you. You can also learn more about Ayokunle's Day 7 efforts by visiting his blog, of Dreams and Deeds.


I am a student at the University of Houston, TX, and was opportune to be at Leadershape for the Spring semester of this year with a couple of students. Leadershape for me was life changing, it transformed me to become more optimistic about life (the video of Benjamin Zander especially so - I couldn't wait to get his book, which I have now, and have read. Documented here:http://ofdreamsanddeeds.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/possibility-its-an-art/), to believe in the beauty of my dreams, having an healthy disregard for the impossible, etc. We were able to work on our individual visions, and each day after LeaderShape for me has been Day 7 trying to stay in action), which is why I created this blog: http://ofdreamsanddeeds.wordpress.com/ to document my journey towards my vision (I mentioned it in the About Section) and also to share and show how practical the lessons and experiences I've gained at LeaderShape have been. Life would be great if every person on earth had the opportunity to attend LeaderShape! Until then, I believe those of us who have attended have the responsibility to share with others the experience, which is what I'm attempting to do. Again, thanks for the opportunity, and I'm beyond grateful!

Headbands of Hope

Guest blog from Jessica Ekstrom, a LeaderShape graduate from North Carolina State University...

Almost everyone can think of a moment where they knew their life was about to change. For me, my moment was right before my 20th birthday in the summer of 2011. I began my internship at the Make-a-Wish Foundation that I can confidently say, changed my life forever.

Everyday, I got to wake up and grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. I took day trips to visit the wish kids at their houses and bring them their favorite toys. We received hundreds of letters from wish children that said we changed their lives; little did they know that they were changing mine.

One day, I was pulling my hair back in a ponytail and thought about the hundreds of girls I encountered who lose their hair to cancer. I saw how much losing their hair had an impact on their self-esteem and confidence level.

I thought about the thousands of girls around the world losing their hair to chemotherapy. Being a young girl presents many struggles with self-esteem already and losing their hair as a result of a life-threatening illness is traumatic.

I realized that headbands are the perfect way for these girls to keep their feminine identity and have a constant reminder that they're not alone.

For girls and women everywhere, their hair is a part of their feminine identity. Wigs can be uncomfortable and unappealing, especially to younger girls.

Therefore, I started Headbands of Hope. For every headband purchased, one headband will go to a girl with cancer and $1 will be donated to the St. Baldrick's Foundation to fund life-saving childhood cancer research. Headbands can be purchased at www.headbandsofhope.org.

LeaderShape really inspired me to turn my vision of Headbands of Hope into a reality. Since we launched in April, I've donated hundreds of headbands to girls experiencing chemotherapy and also help fund research for pediatric cancer through St. Baldrick's.

The headbands are in numerous stores and talked about in magazines, newspapers and talk shows. Miss Alaska will be promoting Headbands of Hope and wear one in the Miss America pageant next year. Headbands of Hope even helped me get my dream internship at NBC's Today Show this summer. But most importantly, it helped me put a smile on hundreds of girl's faces who deserve it.

I read a quote once by Richard Branson that said, “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do.”

LeaderShape made me believe that I could be one of the “crazy” ones and change the world. And now, looking at what Headbands of Hope has done, I’m starting to believe that I have. Thanks LeaderShape!

YOLO

YOLO.

You Only LeaderShape Once.

We saw this tweeted during some sessions of The LeaderShape Institute. It is a clever and creative take on the popular “you only live once” saying that is so prevalent these days. And, for most, participating in The LeaderShape Institute does only happen one time.

And.

We hope that anyone who experiences The LeaderShape Institute will continue to “LeaderShape” every day. To always be living in Day 7. Feeling stuck with this? Here are some ideas to get you moving:

Reconnect

Maybe it’s with your Cluster Facilitator, a Family Cluster member, or a Guest Leader. Take some time to catch up with one another and talk. Really talk. Like you did at The LeaderShape Institute. About your passions, challenges, wishes… If you aren’t near one another, pick up the phone, Skype, Facetime, Google Chat, text, email, snail mail, whatever! Just keep having conversations that matter.

Revisit a lesson

There are a lot of opportunities to expand our understanding of others, the world, and ourselves during the six days of the Institute. Choose one lesson from the Institute and work to incorporate it into your life somehow for a week.

Spend some time alone

Alone with a goal - something that you are working on. Get face-to-face with it and determine what you need to do to move forward. Now do it.

Spend some more time alone

With yourself. Think, write, draw, take a walk, whatever works for you that gives you a way in which to reflect. Life is busy and we can easily get caught up in being busy without always being productive. Take a pause.

Be an Example

Actions speak. They demonstrate to people what you care about and who you are. If you believe in the lessons of LeaderShape, in living with integrity and with a healthy disregard for the impossible, live it! Others will follow your lead.

LeaderShapers - What do you have to add to this list?

This post is part of our Day 7 on the 7^th series. See last month’s by going here.

Free Hugs

There are points in our lives where we have those “moments of truth” and LeaderShape was my first “moment of truth.” It was where I decided to pursue my passion and develop a vision whole-heartedly. Since that day, everyday has been Day 7. I attended LeaderShape in 2011 and I have been working towards making a positive impact on the community and also a change in the world around me.

At LeaderShape

At the beginning of the summer I worked a program through Central Michigan University called Leadership Camp. Leadership Camp is a phenomenal program for which I was a facilitator. It is a camp for incoming freshman to come and learn about how to make a difference using the Social Change Model. Along with twenty-three other staff members, we were able to make a positive impact on the lives of many students. For me, this was my first experience with having campers and I must say that it was tremendous! Being apart of Leadership camp was amazing because many of the values of LeaderShape were present and I was able to gain a new perspective and build new relationships. Although it was a different experience it reminded me of LeaderShape.

LeaderShape was the beginning of my adventure to make a change in the world and this summer I’ll be taking another step towards reaching it. I am going to be working with CMU’s Leadership Institute but also doing some traveling to give free hugs and make a difference in simple lasting ways. I will be traveling to Kentucky, Texas, Boston and a few other places along the way over the next few months.

LeaderShape was such an influential time for me. Before LeaderShape, I had a plan to make a difference but after LeaderShape, it became a reality. That week helped me develop the passion I needed, the faith that I can make a difference and the ability to go out and be the difference everyday!

There are times when I give free hugs and pass out small messages of encouraging and kind words. It has really become a staple in what I do. It is a simple message of being comfortable with being uncomfortable and love for everyone. Along with giving free hugs I do a “24 hour free hugs” when I attended Relay 4 Life Programs. I included the photo of the Leadership Camp Staff because they have been such a great influence and encouragement to me. It was such a tremendous experience. The other photo with the painting is from my excursion to find more we and less me on campuses. My friend and mentor Jesi Parker lives out her LeaderShape Vision through her art. She paints them and donates all profits to the LIVESTRONG Organization. I’ve left the description for the photo with my LeaderShape shirt on because it is a very fond memory and reminder that everyday is Day 7 and that you have to live and love what you do.  I’ve shared those photos with LeaderShape because it is apart of who I am and how I live my passion out daily.

Free Hugs after an exam

Leadership Camp

24 hours of Free Hugs at Relay 4 Life

Less me and more we

Vincent Thurman

LeaderShape 2011 Grad

Central Michigan University

LeaderShape Vision Turns into a Book, a Career

“LeaderShape is a gift.” 

That is what I texted my boss on Day 7 in Boston, MA, May 2011.

Because him telling me to apply as a LeaderShape Cluster Facilitator felt like a gift – because in many ways, it brought me back to life.

I am a writer at heart, and I can measure my feeling of vigor in any given state of my life by looking back on my journal. And from May 2009 - May 2011, my journal was blank.

In May 2009 I graduated college.

And during my first two years transitioning from the academic world to the professional world, I felt lost. I worked really hard, loved working with students at the community college, and gave my best every day.

But something inside me felt like it was slowly dying. I came home every day exhausted. I no longer wrote in my journal. I watched a lot of TV. My sense of vision was blurring.

And then I was accepted to be a LeaderShape Cluster Facilitator.

Spending a week in the woods, disconnected from my 9-5 and heels, getting to know strangers, writing our visions – it changed me more than I could have ever predicted.

I didn’t realize its full impact until Day 7 – when I found a scrap of paper and started writing again.

Those scrap pieces of paper are now stapled in my journal, which has been written in daily since May 2011.

Filled with a vision. Filled with hope.

And today, a year later, my vision is coming true.

My vision was to help historically underrepresented students in higher education break cycles of poverty through community college access and completion.

And in March 2012 my book Community College Success was published. I talked about community college stereotypes on national TV. The White House Blog called me a community college superstar. I began to speak professionally to thousands of students in their college auditoriums, classrooms, and conference halls, sharing my story, my vision. I’m now a full time writer, speaker, and consultant.

And I’ve never felt more alive or more thankful.

I’ll never forget watching Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech on Day Three. It was a speech I had seen many times throughout my public education. But this time tears streamed steadily down my face as he spoke those memorable words. I couldn’t stop crying.

And I realized those tears were dropping to the ground because – for the first time – I saw Martin Luther King Jr. as more than just a figure from the history books, more than some mythical man of greatness. I saw him as a person. A man who was once a student just like the ones gathered in the LeaderShape Learning Community room that day.

I cried tears of equal parts sadness and hope. Where are those kinds of leaders today? Where will they come from in our generation? Does anyone believe like that anymore? Who will stand? Who will speak?

My cluster family’s name was “The Unbreakables.” They chose that name because they realized their common thread was that they had all endured hardships in their lives but refused to be broken.

And interestingly enough, each of their visions sprouted from the seeds of their hurts.

When I started community college I cried in the advising office, waiting for hours, devoid of hope. 

It was that pain I wanted to prevent. It was that pain, coupled with the support of LeaderShape and the power of vision that grew my book, my life as it is today.

You are more powerful than you realize. You have the capacity, right now, on your campus, in your life, in your job, to change things - to embed your footprint.

Because leadership is about shaping and sharing your dream. It’s about owning your pain. And it’s about caring enough to put in the hard work, every single day.

It’s not always fun and it’s never easy. But it always feels like a gift.


You can get the first chapter of Isa's book for free at Facebook.com/CCSuccess and you can learn more about her at www.isaadney.com.