Reflections about my second year

My second year at Ohio Wesleyan was one of hard work, surprises, and major decisions in my future career and life in general. For my clubs: let me give you a brief rundown.

Campus Programming Board- I only did CPB for a semester but I thought it was worth it. Getting artists to come to Ohio Wesleyan is not easy. People do have problems with the artists CPB brings sometimes. Even though CPB is open to everyone to voice their opinion, the only group that I usually see at the meetings, planning the events, and is willing to put in work is a group of Chi Phi guys and some Thetas and some of their friends. There were probably more people in the second semester, helping to set up for Gym Class Heroes. Of course, I heard some people were not satisfied with the selection. Well, the only way to get your artist to come to OWU is to come to the meetings, narrow down the list and decide as a group who to bring out to OWU in order to prevent low numbers when artists do show up to OWU. Anyway, I would like to do another round with CPB (this time, with Springfest). I think CPB is underrated as far as their commitment to bringing entertainment to campus. I just wish there was more people of an eclectic taste to accompany me.

Habitat for Humanity- Honestly, I didn't do too much with the on campus group. I found the meetings to be a little awkward because of the low numbers toward the end of the school year. I would still do service in conjunction with the local Habitat chapter. After going to Goldsboro, North Carolina for a week to build a house, I feel more comfortable going into the Delaware neighborhood and giving back in this fashion. I expect to do a build day before the festivities on Orientation and a couple before the festivities of Homecoming. Odds are I will probably forget about the on campus Habitat community and start helping with the local building community.

The President's Council for Racial and Cultural Diversity- The programs for the MLK Day was a success and I want to build upon them. We lost all of the students in the committee except myself so we will be rebuilding to get more students involved. All of the faculty will still be involved and since we are all active advocates of racial and cultural diversity, I hope to see only positive changes in that area in the near future. The awards at the end of Baccalaureate were well deserved for the candidates and hopefully, their works will be felt in the school and outside.

Student Union on Black Awareness- As a home base for me, I did not see the power that SUBA possessed like in my freshman year. Many changes accompanied the year in its cabinet and the cabinet was reformed again before the end of the school year. The adjustments knocked us off guard. However, with the leadership of Kenny Williams, I felt that SUBA will be the powerhouse it was in my freshman year. The 40th anniversary of SUBA is coming up and I feel that SUBA has to get back to its fundamentals in order for the organization to be the force to be reckoned with- educating individuals about Black culture and being a visible force on campus.

Choosing and Learning Environment with Alcohol Respect (CLEAR)- I am afraid to see this but next year is a transition year for me. I am cutting back. CLEAR, unfortunately, will probably be the first group I cut back or potentially even drop. In the first semester, CLEAR was rolling. All of the events were enticing and helped clear my mind of academics. This was not the case in the second semester. There were more people in the second semester but I didn't feel a lot got done. Most of the events including the season ending whitewater rafting I was not able to attend because of prior commitments so that took a lot of the fun and the purpose out of my membership. I was not able to commit and I doubt I will be fully able to next year. I am willing to cut an activity or two for the enjoyment and dedication of others and despite the fun I had with the CLEAR members, I will probably be saying no to the events next semester. Sorry.

Circle K- ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR. The new TREASURER. I am the DON DA DA of the club. Yeah, I know. Pressures on me as well as the rest of the executive board. You know what, we got the experience, the connection, and the communication down pat. People on the outside do not understand the bond we have through service, leadership, and fellowship. Students on the outside who question the purpose: I challenge you to come to spend the day with us serving the community around you. Maybe you will experience something totally unexpected like I did when I went to my first District Service Project back in October. Or how I saw how united OWU was during District Convention. I loved these times. Now it is time to create new ones. I am the gatekeeper to further success in funding projects and other things that I know will continue to strengthen our organization. You cannot fake success- 10 awards in all for the 2007-2008. We want more and will thrive in all ways to get more!!

Black Men of the Future- Oh boy. I was a little let down. BMF was a non-factor this year. Our parties fizzled, attendance at the meetings were lackluster, the executive cabinet did not hold the rest of us together. Community service, a huge tenet for us, was not done. BMF is like a family to me so you know it hurts to say this. This is the truth, though. I will not hold back because it needs to be said. I wanted to help put BMF out there as a member of the executive cabinet but this did not pan out and I was not elected. BMF is still like my family and I will still help the new cabinet out but my junior year will probably alienate me from being the source that I am. BMF needs to be a part of the school's atmosphere so I know I can pull people in if necessary. Junior year is going to be tough on me academically but it is also for me splitting my time being fraternity obligations, BMF obligations, Circle K obligations, and my time obligations. Something is going to be cut short and since I am an officer in my fraternity and in Circle K, I reckon it is going to be BMF, which I am already struggling with. I hope I can resolve this.

Choral Arts Society- NEED MORE MEN!! Need I say more. C'mon, I am getting killed by the voices of 35-40 women every time!!

History Board- Newly elected to a second term, I am ready and willing to serve again (even though I will not take a History course for the entire year). Myself and the other new member at the time, Abe Gustavson, hustled to get t-shirts- the price, the design, and all the other intangibles done before the ceremony for the History honorary inductions. That is commitment to a cause with little time. I will enjoy my second term as a History Board member. I guarantee that.

Wesleyan Student Foundation- Wow. Love this organization. If you are a student at Ohio Wesleyan, especially if you are a male, you need to volunteer your services to this. Help with the retention. I feel that if you host a student, the chances of that student transferring is less because they are aware of your presence and advice already. If it is monetary, that is another story. As far as comfort, they are more aware that they already have a friend. I hosted 16 students this year and I am proud to say that I have benefited from the experience as well as many of the prospective students. This is the most underrated program admissions has to offer. I truly believe that this will help the retention rate if more people got involved in the cause.

Phi Delta Theta- 11 seniors left this year. Congrats again. The focus now turns to the class of '10. Considering that there is only 4 of us and a ton of class of '09 and class of '11, you would think otherwise. However, I felt that the time is now to prove ourselves to the rest of the bunch and not be shifted to the side. I will say this right now: I want responsibility in the fraternity because I know in my mind, body, and soul that I can handle the pressure, the criticism, and anything else people and obstacles will throw my way. Community service/philanthropy chair is fine but I want more out of the Phi Delt undergraduate experience. If people want me to drop my another activities (except Circle K), if that is what it takes to convince people that I am the right man for the job, then so be it. I know: things have to change- so let me step up and help out, put my social skills to the test. Numbers are low but it does not have to be this way. I am ready to be the next step. Don't believe me- try me. Let me stop talking and start doing the walking.

That is about all for today. I think I have rambled on enough.



Keeping it movin',
Hasani Wheat
Class of '10