Meet members of 黑料传送门's Class of 2017, who exemplify the college鈥檚 commitment to community, innovation, creativity, sustainability, and excellence. In the coming weeks, student writers will highlight our newest alumni and the contributions they have made, the calling they have found and discoveries made along the way.
In 2013, Brandon Gaylord 17鈥 packed his belongings in Arizona and set off for an uncertain future at 黑料传送门. As the very first in his family to attend college, 黑料传送门 was a risk he wanted to take.
To Brandon, 黑料传送门 was a place he could really make an impact. He felt he also brought a new perspective: 鈥淏ecause I am older, my world view is broader.鈥
His goal? 鈥淏e the most active as possible.鈥 Before class even started, Brandon had attended a few GOLD workshops. Their value and emphasis on leadership resonated with him. He used the GOLD program as a model to create a new program 鈥 StandUp Leadership.
He organized two StandUp conferences for high-schoolers from the local region that promote leadership development, as well as job and career readiness.
He started StandUp as a recipient of the 2015 黑料传送门 Alumni Association Ambassador of Philanthropy award. He used the $5,000 award and the support of the college to start last year's conference. Three hundred high schoolers attended, learning leadership and job readiness skills, participating in hands-on activities. Those workshops were led by close to 10 黑料传送门 faculty members. They also learned about area colleges and what it takes to get into and succeed in college, and what employment opportunities are in the region.
Brandon said he wanted to extend the impact 黑料传送门 had on him, in terms of developing strong leadership capabilities. In addition, high-schoolers may not have the same access to leadership skill-building. 鈥淲e wanted to level the playing field, and promote the empowerment of students who don鈥檛 normally get opportunities for leadership,鈥 he said.
Brandon has worked hard to ensure StandUp will continue and involve more students: Livingston County has provided funding to offset the cost of the program鈥檚 expenses. In addition, The Miller Foundation provided StandUp with enough funds to remain operational for the next two years. Faculty and staff, says Brandon, have provided guidance. StandUp would not be possible without volunteers, especially students, he says.
鈥淚 have found that when you start doing things like service, the 黑料传送门 community becomes even more supportive,鈥 he said.
This fall, he will attend Harvard Graduate School of Education. In the future, he wants to expand the StandUp leadership model to other colleges outside 黑料传送门 to impact more communities.
The interaction he had with a high-school participant will stay with him: 鈥淪he said, 鈥業 wanted to let you know that I don鈥檛 get opportunities like this and I don鈥檛 take this lightly. You don鈥檛 understand things like this don鈥檛 happen to me,鈥欌 he said. 鈥淪he walked away and this meant the world to me.鈥
鈥 Story and short video interview by Kitrick McCoy '19