Sophomore Graduation and End of the Year Celebration: A Reflection by Student Director Kjersti Kleine

With finals quickly approaching, another year of Shucker came to a close. In early April Shucker celebrated the sophomore graduation and end of year celebration at the Cherrydale Alumni House. The weather was a perfect 75 degrees, so we sat out on the brand new patio! We were joined by Dr. and Mrs. Shucker for dinner and our ceremony afterwards. We started with a wonderful dinner with Mexican food. It was so nice to catch up with some Shucker fellows. We collected sophomore superlatives before starting our ceremony.

 

We heard some kind words from Kim before announcing the Shucker Leadership commitment awards for this year. From the sophomore class, Kamber Parker won the award for her commitment and enthusiasm for Shucker events and meetings. From the freshmen class, Connor Wilson and Kathleen Marsh received awards for their creativity, commitment, and selflessness towards their peers and Shucker fellows. We then heard Katie Foster, one of our graduating sophomore fellows, speak about why Shucker matters to her. It was so wonderful to hear from a graduating Shucker fellow about how Shucker can make such a different in a person's life.

 

To be honest, when I applied to Shucker my freshmen year I wasn't really sure what I was signing up for. I had been told to take every opportunity I could get in order to meet people and feel comfortable at my new school. After applying and interviewing for Shucker, I was certain that I would not be chosen. I was young, naïve, and full of self-doubt when it came to my leadership skills. To my surprise, I received an e-mail on that Sunday morning saying that I, along with 24 other freshmen, was chosen to be a part of the new class of Shucker Fellows. At the time, I was homesick, nervous, and unsure of what I was getting myself into. The freshmen retreat at the beginning of the school year provided a fun outlet to meet people and a quick getaway from the overwhelming atmosphere on campus. The Shucker retreat is where I met some of my closest friends. Weekly meetings with other freshmen who had similar values an aspirations was so grounding during such a big adjustment. The Shucker fellows in my class inspired me to get involved in other areas on campus. When the opportunity came to apply for a position on the leadership team, I knew that this was an opportunity to do something bigger on campus. I wanted to be a resource for new freshmen. I wanted to be there to guide new freshmen through the transition that I had just been through. Now, as the sophomore program coordinator for the Shucker Leadership Institute, I have matured as a student and as a leader. Thanks to Shucker, I have the confidence that it takes to step up as a leader and dive into new opportunities. It was so nice to hear one of our graduating sophomores share her experience with us as we reflected on all that Shucker has given us.

 

Before the end of the night, we recognized each one of the sophomores with some compliments from their peers and a gift from Shucker. Then, we had the privileged of hearing Dr. and Mrs. Shucker talk. They shared the stories of their Furman experiences with us, gave us advice as leaders in the world, and answered questions from the fellows. It is always so fun to talk about the beginning of Shucker, the purpose of Shucker, and to step back and remind us why we spend time in such an incredible organization.

 

We wish all of our sophomore fellows the best as they go out into the community and the world to use their leadership skills and character to make a difference!