And the Winner is...Not you.

Have you ever poured your heart and soul into something an not gotten recognition for it?

The end of the Spring semester in school is always so exciting. It's when students find out what leadership positions they've received, who their roommates are, and if they ended up passing their classes for the semester. For me, it's always been a semester of rejoicing in new leadership positions and the excitement of the closeness of Summer. This Spring semester is especially exciting. It is finally the time when we will become college graduates and attend various ceremonies to honor our time here at Vanguard.
Delta Kappa is an honors society and award that is presented to the students who have shown outstanding service on campus and in the community. These students receive special recognition, as well as a brick with their name on it, to forever be ingrained on our campus. Having served in various ways on campus and around my community for the past 4 years, I thought for sure I had the title of graduating with Delta Kappa in the bag.
But boy, was I wrong.

I have served in various things like volunteering as a Sunday School teacher, being a resident assistant, and serving as a Vice President for Student Government. Not receiving Delta Kappa was, not gonna lie, actually pretty surprising to me, seeing how much I was involved in for the past 4 years. From the moment everyone received an email stating they were "cordially invited to receive an award" and I didn't, I immediately felt the overwhelming sense of rejection and a slap in the face of you're not good enough. I sat on the same executive board as the other recipients and felt as though I did my absolute best to give my service my all. "So why?" I asked myself...

Although I knew I wasn't receiving an award, I swallowed my pride and went to the ceremony a few days ago. I sat in the last row in the room as I heard the names of the 20 people got it, kinda wishing my name would somehow magically appear on that list, but it didn't...

The title is not the point of the award.
"No duh", right? Well, I didn't see it that way initially.
After countless conversations with good friends and a much needed cry on the phone with my mom, I realized it all doesn't matter at the end of the day. I've also come to terms that I don't need these things to validate who I am. You don't need a high GPA to prove how equipped you are, and you don't need a title to prove you are good leader. I did all these things from my passion for people and my love for challenging myself. I didn't do it for recognition at the end of my four years, and although sometimes it's easy to forget, I'm not entitled to anything.

I'm so excited to be transitioning out of my undergraduate life. Although I know there will be countless times like these where life doesn't come as we expect it. I know that the recognition isn't what it is about. It was about those hard conversations I had with my resident's, the challenges I faced as being a leader of a team, and the pay off it all had in the end. I've been so incredibly blessed and privileged to do the things I have done here at Vanguard. It's through those leadership positions and community service that I've cultivated my favorite memories and created my best friendships. And I wouldn't have done it any differently.

Congratulations to the class of 2016 and all the Delta Kappa recipients and nominees. You've all kicked some serious ass and I can't wait to walk across the stage with you on May 6, 2016.

Stay Beautiful,
Meagan