A college campus is a place where students explore and celebrate their identities. It’s where they get involved, and find out who they are and what matters most.
Such was the case for Russell Boyd, recent graduate from the Public Administration program in the Department of Political Science. Boyd wanted to make a difference. So, during his undergraduate studies, he served as a volunteer for Student Diversity and Inclusion and the Pan African Action Committee. In 2017, Boyd was a candidate for student government president.
With a heart for public service and interest in governmental affairs, Boyd requested and received assistance from the College of Liberal Arts through the Department of Political Science to attend the 41st Annual Big XII Conference on Black Student Government at Baylor University in Waco, TX.
Attending the conference helped Boyd make important connections between lessons learned in the classroom and his future in graduate school.
The conference theme–Sankofa: Our Past. Our Stories. Our Future–was derived from the word Sankofa, which means to “go back and get it” in the Twi language of Ghana. Sankofa is typically represented by the image of a bird with its head turned backward and its feet faced forward. The image symbolizes the importance of taking from the past in order to create positive change for the future, a lesson that resonated with Boyd.
At the conference, Boyd had the chance to engage with peers and role models who inspired him to continue working for his community. He spoke with several national leaders, including Tish Norman, the Executive Director of Transforming Leaders Now, an educational consulting company which provides keynotes on professional development; Eunique Jones Gibson, founder of Because of Them We Can, an organization which empowers people of all ages by encouraging them to connect the past to the present and future; and Jewell Jones, State Representative of the 11th district of the Michigan House of Representatives. Jones is one of the youngest people ever to be elected as a state representative.
The connections Boyd made were beyond professional, they were lifelong and personal. Boyd recalls one presenter in particular offering help:
“[They told me, ‘If you ever need any additional support or a connection, let me know. This is what we’re here for, to connect, to build, taking the things I’ve learned in my years to give back to you. You’re not alone. Some of us had to figure it out the hard way, but we don’t want you to have to figure it out the hard way.’”
What Boyd learned in class resonated with subjects and issues raised at the conference, especially during the workshop Breaking the Chains: Death to Willie Lynch, where Boyd had the opportunity to discuss real-world events in the context of lessons learned in political science.
“Not only was the conference an incredible and inspiring experience that helped enhance my professional and leadership skills, it also allowed me to become more attune to Black culture, and the beauty and importance of being a Black leader today,” said Boyd.
The information and dialogue from the conference helped Boyd and other attendees develop ways to serve their communities. In fact, Boyd used what he learned to help Texas State University’s Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion plan a professional development workshop for incoming executive and student organizations.
Boyd is the first person in his family to attend college and has been accepted into the political management graduate program at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Boyd hopes to work for a non-profit and continue public service.
To learn more about the Big XII BSG conference, including information about scholarships, visit their website at https://www.baylor.edu/bigxiibsg/.
