To give our college students extra moral support, I used to go visit each of them at their respective colleges each year.
Unfortunately, my workload has increased at the same rate as the number of college students, it seems. So, it's been harder to take the time to visit.
Last week, I was supposed to meet with a recruiter from Texas A & M-Commerce. I seized the opportunity to meet with him in Commerce so I could go visit some of the students.
I forwarded the email, letting them know I'd be in town and inviting them to lunch. I immediately got a response from Lewanna. "You know Luis?! What are you guys meeting about??" Turns out, Lewanna (junior, Education major) and Bridgette (graduate school, Higher Ed Administration major) both work with Luis!
After a text conversation with Luis during lunch, Bridgette and Lewanna took me on a golf cart tour of the new buildings on campus (Kristina, freshman music major, had to leave).
When I meet people at the university or in a college program, I try to introduce students to them. I want them to know people and have the same connections I do. This time, however, it was my turn to let them connect me. As we talked at lunch and as I stood with Bridgette and Lewanna when I met Luis, it was obvious how well-respected they were within the administration department.
I'm a networker. I love making connections. This time, the roles were reversed. Bridgette and Lewanna connected me instead of the other way around. I realized that my credibility probably rose with Dean Holley and Luis when they found out I knew two of their best student workers.
Thanks, Bridgette and Lewanna!
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