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OK, so they told me to show up for a student leadership conference at the University of La Verne, dressed in a suit, at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. It was a definite challenge to my normally positive attitude. I was cranky.
Friday had been a long, long, long day. I had meetings, I spoke, and then I spent about 8 hours trying to fly from Dallas to Ontario, CA. By the time my head hit the pillow at the Hampton Inn at 12:30 a.m., I was toast. Just the thought of having to get up at 6 a.m. and put on a suit was causing me dread. Doing it on five hours sleep, even worse.
So, when I pulled into the University of La Verne, I was prepared to be a bit sour. There was no way that students were going to be dressed up and in a good mood for a student leadership conference starting at 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday.
Well, of course, I was totally wrong. I had a WONDERFUL experience at The University of La Verne. It's a school very few people have ever heard of, but please take my word for it when I tell you that they had some of the nicest, most enthusiastic student leaders I have ever met. No one made them come; they wanted to be there. I can't remember the last time I shook so many hands, or had so many nice compliments on my program.
I think they get some of that positive attitude from the top. The university president, Steve Morgan, was there (super nice). The entire student affairs staff was there, from the dean of students on down (all incredible, friendly). I did two keynotes, one at the start of the day, and one at the end, and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. It's one of the best campus visits I've had in years. I think if they had offered me a job, I would have been house shopping by dinnertime.
So, shout out to La Verne! You now have a new fan club president. I expected your students to be cranky and sour about having to be up so early on a Saturday, but you proved me incorrect! I appreciate you challenging my negative expectation! Congrats also to Greek Advisor Chip West who is doing fabulous work there.
