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Below is the text of a speech made at LIFE Fest by Barry Shainker, a former LIFE student in the Leaderhip and Decision Making cluster.
LIFE Fest Speech
by Barry Shainker
Good afternoon. My name is Barry Shainker and I am a freshman who has just completed a semester with the LIFE Leadership and Decision Making cluster. I am here to discuss the experiences I have had and, first, let me say how honored I am to have this opportunity.
When I first signed up for the LIFE Program, I was a bit skeptical. I was impressed that the different clusters addressed so many different interest areas, but concerned about which one was right for me. I was in an awkward situation, as I was not able to register for the cluster that was my first choice. I had received Advancement Placement credit for the courses that were a part of that group, and taking those classes again would be extremely redundant and not an effective use of my time. I decided that Leadership and Decision Making was the next best choice. I was a bit uneasy going into the experience, but the emotions I now feel are anything but regret.
I am walking away from this experience under all of the best possible conditions. I have gained so much from this opportunity, and I will use all that I have gathered in everything I do. For example, one of the classes that the members of our cluster took was Leadership, Integrity, and Change. In this class, we analyzed the techniques that each of us need to use in order to become a better leader, developed our own ethical frameworks, and created a campus change project about solar energy awareness and implementation at the University of Delaware. Initially, the upperclassmen were a bit uneasy about having first semester freshmen in their class. However, we will be here for three-and-a-half more years and can certainly follow through on the goals of this project.
All of the members of our cluster lived on the same floor in Thompson Hall and took both this class in leadership and a philosophy course about love, sex, and death called Contemporary Moral Problems. When we had exams or assignments in either class, we all had them together and studied with one another in preparation. And we also borrowed each other's notes when we wanted to make our own more complete. It seems like we did many academic things together. But we also helped out the Newark area during our "random acts of kindness" day, where we had the chance to apply our newly learned leadership skills and ethical practices to actual situations. Academics and the community collided head-on in an incredibly gratifying experience that resulted in personal growth. We applied leadership in small groups as we determined the best ways to clean yards and maximize our time. By taking these classes and having the LIFE experience, we were able to see the practicality of the theme behind our cluster.
I am so fortunate to have had this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have heard of many universities that offer a living and learning opportunity for freshman like the LIFE Program. But LIFE is unique in that students take classes of personal interest with the hopes of further engaging themselves in those areas or broadening their horizons. For me, that includes declaring a minor in leadership, something I never would have thought of on my own. (Previously, I did not even know that there were college courses taught on that topic!!!) Everything I have gathered from this experience is incredible and, no matter how much I may try to find fault with the program, I cannot.
Thank you so much for listening to me and enjoy this afternoon's presentations.
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