The Opus Prize Student Leadership panel on Nov. 16 highlighted the faith-based leadership of the Opus Prize contestants.
The three finalists were Sarah Lance of Sari Bari, Anne Jordan of Cana Communities and the Rev. Peter Balleis, S.J., of Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins.
The panel, moderated by Joey Kimes, assistant director of leadership development in the Student Leadership and Involvement Center, allowed students of various leadership organizations on campus to question the finalists about their leadership styles.
“Leadership is having the courage to do what no one else will and the vision to carry it through. It is the people around you that teach you to lead,” said Balleis, a sentiment echoed by each of the panelists.
“I think leadership does come in pieces and you have opportunities to grow as a leader in many ways,” said Lance. “And one of the ways you can grow as a leader is to really be willing to look in the mirror of what people are reflecting back to you as you lead.”
Lance continued and spoke about how Sari Bari is, in the metaphorical sense, a giant mirror of her brokenness and learning to say that she was sorry helped her become a more valuable leader.
Many of the questions asked by students dealt with how the panelists stay dedicated in the face of overwhelming need in their communities.
“The energy, the courage, the motivation comes from the people we work with,” said Balleis. “Trafficked women, homeless people, refugees, they cannot afford to give up hope.”
Jordan, during a question about adverse situations, spoke about a woman named Felicia who was ill at the start of her time in Cana Communities. Felicia would scream every night and several volunteers wanted to remove her to protect the other members, but Jordan proposed an alternate solution: close the house to everyone but Felicia and concentrate on helping her. Jordan said the mission of Cana Communities is to help the person with the least options and that made the decision simple.
“Focus on the person and you’ll know you’re doing the right thing,” said Jordan.
Aujanae McCoy, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said she was inspired by what the finalists had to say about the relationship between leaders and their followers. McCoy said by focusing on how important followers are to leading, she was moved to become a better leader in her own life.
Kimes found the panel made leadership tangible and practical for students.
“I thought it was incredible,” said Kimes. “I appreciated getting to hear the stories. I think that was the coolest part for me was hearing the stories of these individuals and the specific instances where they felt they were making a difference or where they were able to pull some of their leadership.”