Service: what exactly does it mean and why is it important? While in high school, my only exposure to the idea of service was the need to volunteer to remain eligible in different honor societies. At this point in my life, I only served to fulfill requirements. As bad as that sounds, I feel like many of us have been in this position because that was the only way teachers and administration could expose us to the idea of interacting with the community. Going into college, I never imagined that I would ever consider myself a “servant leader,” but the experiences that I have had with service have changed me for the better. Sure, I enjoyed helping others and “giving back” sounded important, but I didn’t truly value the idea of impacting something that didn’t directly help me. If you have ever felt like this described you at one time or another, please don’t be ashamed in any way. This feeling is not something that reflects you or your character. If anything, I feel like this simply means that you have not witnessed what changes you can be a part of through service.
My first exposure to what servant leadership is began when I was a freshman at TLU. As part of our orientation we were required to attend different informational sessions that would show the incoming students different components of TLU that we could be a part of. By chance, I stumbled into a campus job opportunity to be a Civic Engagement Coordinator for a Mexican-American cultural arts center. I had no idea what I would be getting myself into, but the opportunity to dive deeper into my culture sounded interesting. After a few interviews I was lucky enough to get hired and become a member of the Center for Servant Leadership, something that would impact my life forever. Initially work was hectic, and I was constantly running from practice to work at least three times a week, but once the chaos passed I was able to learn the importance of community and service.
Since then I have continued my work at the CSL and have had the opportunity to be a part of many school-wide service days. I have been able to learn more about the members of the Seguin, Texas community and hear their stories and why service is a significant component in their life. Many of these adults have come from different backgrounds and found different callings in life, but they all had one thing in common; each of them knew that the idea of service was something bigger than themselves. They felt like they were put on this earth to impact others. Each of these individuals further enhanced my understanding about what service is. I learned that service is a two-way street and that it is important to understand the need before you engage in service.
A man that I highly respect, Tim Barr, once wrote about the importance of knowing the need before you act. More than this, my service mentors also emphasized the importance of serving with love and respect. When you are able to learn this, then the idea of service is more impactful and meaningful. I hope that understanding that service is more of a process than a privilege will encourage others to pursue and develop as a community service leader. Whether you tutor others, do highway cleanup, or are a part of service projects within your organizations, this is all significant in growing as a servant leader. I hope that you use this story as a way to jump start your own service experience and I wish you the best of luck when you look to find your calling.
