The Guilfordian

Issue date: 4/15/05 Section: News

Ali Stewart, president-elect of Community Senate

The odd dichotomy of spring in the academic year is that it is both old and new. Old on the one hand as everything is wrapping up and winding down. Graduation, papers, and finals loom in the near future.

On the other hand everything is new. In setting up for the next year everyone is learning new faces to replace the old ones. It is even in the official title of graduation; Commencement, a beginning. Spring is a time for beginnings as much as ends at college.

It is difficult to imagine some of the students I have come to rely on in the past three years will no longer be on this campus. It is an odd sensation as a first or second year, but now that I am a junior I have grown accustomed to certain students that have been a part of my experience here at Guilford. And now it is time for them to leave.

There is no way any person could truly replace another (a fact I needed reminding when I left to go abroad last semester). A person is a unique entity and there is no way to replicate that. It is impossible and yet every spring on every college campus throughout the world we find ourselves facing that problem.

Four years is a short amount of time in which to affect change in any institution, but I feel as if this year's seniors have left a huge example to live up to. Perhaps this is a little sister syndrome I never experienced growing up coming out of me now. As an oldest child, I set the examples in the family for my sister, but now I am the younger sibling in awe of the graduating seniors, because they are collectively my older brothers and sisters to whom I and my class must now live up to. It is a large order.

I do not mean to insinuate that my fellow underclassmen are not up to the challenge, after all, isn't that what Guilford is all about? I simply want to honor the accomplishments of those who have gone before. But in order to continue forward we cannot look forever behind.

Leaders for next year are clearly emerging throughout the school. Many clubs have or will be having elections to formally recognize those leaders. Other leaders emerge without these formal processes and lead from behind as well.

I am thinking about this particularly now that the new Steering Committee for Community Senate has been announced. The committee for next year comprises truly committed and dedicated individuals that have the full faith of the executives to go above and beyond.

Continued...

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