Sky V in D.C.

I recently had the pleasure of joining university students from around the world in Washington D.C. for the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values. National Student Leadership is a group comprised of chapters around the United States that gather students for discourse on leadership and relationship in modern society.

 

The weekend consisted of keynotes delivered by members of Congress, businesspeople, and even a prominent designer from Nike, as well as breakout discussions covering a range of topics. 

 

Our talks often led us to have discussions with others who maintain very different beliefs and points of view than our own. The array of students in attendance seemed endless. Students came from the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, and even Germany, as well as states throughout the U.S.

 

Interacting with so many people from differing contexts took me very much outside of the norm that I experience in my day-to-day life. In being surrounded by similar people on a regular basis, I have not been challenged to think critically about my values and beliefs in the way I was for quite some time. 

 

A common theme with this organization is “ask the next question.” What that means is, when talking to somebody about anything, take the opportunity to go a step deeper into the conversation by asking an additional question about the topic of discussion. For instance, rather than simply asking someone how their day was and moving on after they reply with “it was all right,” you can ask an additional question like “what could have made it better?” 

 

Most times, the conversation is not as superficial as that example. In most of my experience, the “next question” often forces you to look at things in ways you had not previously considered. I have consistently been exposed to this kind of discussion while connected to the organization and have found it to be immensely valuable. 

 

This community of individuals from dissimilar walks of life coming together for a singular purpose has consistently provided me with the kinds of perspectives that I need but could not derive on my own. 

 

I see the same benefit in the Sky Ventures organization. Sky V is made of students studying any number of things, from engineering to marketing and beyond. Additionally, our organization is proud to have multiple nations represented. With all of this diversity comes varying views and opinions on all kinds of issues, but what remains consistent is the mission that we all have bought into by joining Sky Ventures.

 

Our mission is as follows:

 

To empower creativity and ignite action in ORU students by giving them a place to be heard, a space to grow, and access to capital.

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We intend to do this by implementing programs that cause students to think differently about their capabilities than they ever have before. We would like to expand students’ understanding of the opportunities available to them, as well as the value of the dream and vision they hold so close. 

 

As you go on with your day, allow yourself to think differently than you have before about the life that you live. Rather than seeing examples of success as being worlds away from you, write yourself into those stories starting today.

 

It’s only up from here!

 

~ Isaiah