If you would have told me three months ago that I would be in the Denver airport delayed for weather writing an article about NEACURH and NACURH, I would have probably laughed because I had no idea that was. Fast forward to now and I was thrown into the role of NCC for Eastern Connecticut State University attending both the regional conference at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in March and the national conference at Arizona State University this past weekend on my institutions behalf. Through college many students often struggle to find their "why" and this weekend helped to show me mine.

For as long as I could remember I wanted to be a teacher, but recently that shifted as my interests and focuses changed. I love the idea of working with people as I am extremely outgoing, so I got involved with UROC on my campus as a freshman serving as our hall representative. Little did I know that this organization would end up changing my entire college career. Through UROC as a freshman I learned about leadership and what it took to be leader and collaborate with a team by watching the executive board before me.At the end of that year I ran for the position of Secretary on the executive board and won. I was excited to see where I would go from here, but I hadn't yet realized the impact it would have on me. In the fall our President unexpectedly dropped out leaving the position open. So I decided to run and I lost which became one of the best things to ever happen to me. This failure showed me that the team and individual contribution is more important than the power of being President. It was then that I decided teaching was no longer for me and that I believed my passion was Higher Education and Student Life but there was still some doubt.

Then our institution joined NACURH and decided to attend the Spring Leadership conference for NEACURH in March. My advisor signed me up to be the NCC, and truthfully my first thought was "what is he making me do now". Well I attended that conference not knowing a single thing about voting, or boardroom, or programs. I was truly clueless. Throughout the weekend I learned a multitude of acronyms and how important my role and voice as an NCC was on behalf of my institution. I met amazing people who shared the same qualities and aspirations as me. From members of the RBD, to the NCC'S, and my delegation everyone showed me what it meant to be a leader and showed me why I was an effective student leader. I told my advisor that he was right which is something I don't say often, but he was right that I would love this conference and I did.

I threw out the crazy idea on the car ride home that we should go to NACURH 2018 in Arizona. About five weeks later my advisor told me that we were going to Arizona and I was so excited but also so nervous. I was about to travel across the country to learn how to be an effective student leader with a thousand other college students. This concept was unreal as to what it would entail. Yet me being me, I was going to take full advantage of this amazing opportunity, so I decided to submit a program and join a case study team. We arrived in Arizona and while yes it was very hot there was an excitement there for me. I presented my program and got into the Top 50 of the whole conference, and I presented a case study, while also receiving a Pride Pin on the first night. It was the craziest and most eventful weekend of my life, but most importantly I found my why.

It's hard to picture your future and for once I felt like I saw mine. This weekend opened up many new possibilities for me to improve as a student leader. The NEACURH outgoing RBD taught me that passion will take you a long way in this world. Megan, Patrick and Cliff taught me no matter how long you have been in a position you are a leader and that your friends will be there to help you along the way. The boys from Northeastern showed me that spirit and fun are extremely important to being a leader as everyone can't be serious all the time. My advisor, Kurt, taught me that its okay to take a step back and breathe every once in a while, as every leader can get overwhelmed. Most importantly I taught myself that I am a good student leader and that my why is this. My why is helping others learn how to be the best version of themselves and become the greatest student leaders they can be. I know now that I have found my passion and love in life and that this is what I am supposed to be doing. Overall I would like to thank NACURH for helping students like me find their "why".