Greetings from Gettysburg and welcome to the June edition of the GLC Newsletter.
Now, more than a month removed from our inspiring, first-of-its-kind Commencement ceremony, it’s only fitting that I use this opportunity to share with you some GLC highlights from this historic 2020-21 academic year.
Certainly, it was a tumultuous year for us all, in some way or another. Further, I know the presence, effects, and impact of the pandemic will be felt by our society for a long time to come. Yet, there were also examples of ethical and effective leadership all around us, which we should not ignore--stories of hope, resilience, perseverance, action and integrity. And I feel lucky to have witnessed many of these leadership acts within our own GLC community.
Many of these examples were exemplified in the creation and implementation of our work to serve the College community through leadership development. Here are a few examples I would like to share:
- Recent graduate Garrett Glaeser ’21 launched the first season of the Views from the 202, a GLC podcast featuring 10 episodes with topics ranging from transformational leadership to gratitude for student leaders.
- The GLC launched a number of new programs for students in response to their emerging personal and professional needs. These included a team-based simulation climbing Mount Everest as part of the College’s inaugural virtual January Term (J-Term); a six-week virtual mindfulness and emotional intelligence program; and a collaborative program that used design thinking and humble consulting principles to provide team-based consulting to local community non-profits.
- We served 1,612 students through all GLC programs. Remarkably, this total is even greater than the number of students we impacted in the 2019-2020 academic year--a testament to the efforts of our talented Leadership Mentors and GLC staff, as well as the desire of our Gettysburg students to continue to learn and grow despite the many obstacles presented by the pandemic.
- The GLC also celebrated its 10-year anniversary! In partnership with the Garthwait family, our College Advancement team, and so many of you, we were able to raise more than $46,000 from 128 donors to support GLC programs and services next year.
Of course, like all organizations seeking to navigate this unprecedented time, we experienced some failures too. Not all of our ambitions and initiatives materialized as we had hoped. However, these incredible successes during this dynamic year are further proof of the resiliency of our GLC community. I am tremendously proud of my professional staff, student leaders, and alumni and parent volunteers. Thank you for your commitment and your drive to do this important work.
Early on in the pandemic, I often reflected on two quotes, which offered me perspective and motivation:
“Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.”
– James Lane Allen
“Who do you choose to be for this time?”
– Margaret Wheatley
While conditions surrounding the pandemic are slowly beginning to improve, there are still many leadership challenges that fervently await us in the months and years ahead. As you think about your own leadership practice, I hope these words encourage you to be the kind of leader our world needs--through both your words and your behaviors. I know these quotes will continue to drive me to serve our community as we transition to the 2021-2022 academic year.
Thank you for your support and I wish you well in your leadership practice.
Sincerely,
Andy
Andy Hughes
Executive Director, Garthwait Leadership Center
ahughes@gettysburg.edu
By Staff
Posted: 06/25/21