Leadership not gender specific

I remember a Duke where both men and women held student leadership positions, from Duke Student Government president to head of Campus Council, and from Directors of the Community Service Center to heads of the Duke Union and class offices.

That Duke was only a couple of years ago from 1997 to 2001 while I was a student. I, myself, was one of four males to serve as Co-director of the Community Service Center during that time, working with a diverse staff by gender, race, and age. I had the opportunity to work seamlessly with extremely talented, passionate, and mature individuals, both male and female. I learned that there are certainly qualities that true leaders possess, none of which, however, are gender specific.

It is apparent that apathy has remained a problem. More attention should be spent on designing new ways to engage the overall student body and encouraging increased participation on and off campus. Students need to understand the tremendous power that they have to shape their own college experiences, and serving others in the broader community. After all, accomplishing any agenda, whether legislative or service related, requires the collective efforts and talents of the entire community, and not just those of a specific few.

Travis Gayles

Trinity ’01

Co-Director, Community Service Center 2000-01