Text by Caroline Veronilla | Photo by Lex Iñosa
More than 90 student leaders of Xavier University journeyed through the 3rd Change Leadership Camp of the Student Activities and Leadership Development - Office of Student Affairs (SACDEV-OSA) at the Montegelo Farm Resort, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
The camp, held on May 27-30, was aimed at inspiring student leaders to create ripples of change for the communities they serve and preparing them for the roles in their respective organizations, may it be within or outside the university.
A concoction from the Basic Orientation and Leadership Training Seminar (BOLTS) and the Student Leadership Development Program (SLDP) in 2006, Change Leadership has undergone numerous revisions and rebranding to cater the changing needs of XU student leaders.
“We changed the program into something more than the usual BOLTS,” said OSA director Ivanell Subrabas.
“We upgraded it into something motivational that will truly empower student leaders to achieve their full potential.”
With the basic principle that leadership begins with the self, the student leaders embarked on discussions and activities zeroing in on four themes: self, others, community, and nation.
They were able to look back on their leadership stories with the Sycamore Tree activity, assess their interpersonal skills through a series of emotional and mental tests, improve their “language of appreciation,” affirm their commitment and bond with fellow leaders.
Model leaders
This year’s “Champions of Change” — valedictorian of Class 2015 Paolo Araune, XU vice president for Mission and Ministry Irene Guitarte, and iEmergence executive director Matt LeBlanc — inspired the participants with their own leadership journey.
Araune shared these pieces of advice to the student leaders: “(1) God is always with you. (2) Failure is your strength. (3) Always be in love.”
“In loving what you do, you can grow, glow and go. We need to add love, subtract hatred, multiply dreams, and divide what we have for the benefit of others,” Aranue added during his presentation.
Another highlight of the camp was the CL-lympics where the participants were divided into groups and had to accomplish various tasks within a specified amount of time — challenging them physically, mentally and emotionally.
Moving outside the box
Michael Maglangit, the leadership and development associate of the Assembly of Extra-Curricular Organizations (AECO), shared how the different personalities of the student leaders resonate during Cl-lympics.
He emphasized that a member of the group who is not as outspoken as the others does not mean that he/she is a mere follower because at the end of the day, the group was able to accomplish their tasks through teamwork, a crucial component when working in organizations and with other people.
On the last day, talents were definitely pouring out as student leaders transformed into international and local artists in Your Face Sounds Familiar activity as they celebrate the friendship they were able to build over the course of the camp.
“As a first timer at CL Camp, it was very fun, very exciting, and the visions [were] extraordinary,” said Jason Dagoc, incoming president of Junior Philippine Society of Animal Society (JPSAS).
“What struck me the most during the camp was the fact that we, as leaders, must change, not just the society or the organization we delve in, because we can’t change society if we can’t change ourselves first.”
SACDEV hopes that the student leaders would put to heart everything they have learned at the camp and embark on new paradigms and proactive ways to look at challenges and how to address them.
Moreover, SACDEV is looking forward to the programs of the participants with their respective organization that will ripple the cause of Change Leadership — to empower others to become leaders, too.