Date: July 14, 2024
Location: Assisi
Blogger: Ciara Coker ‘28
Hometown: Caldwell, Texas
For most of us here in Assisi, Italy, the day began bright and early in our meeting room, where we ate breakfast. After getting fuel for the busy day ahead, about 20 people attended Sunday morning worship at St. Francis Basilica. It has often been described as “the most beautiful basilica around.” Here, it is one of the twenty-six local churches that Assisi provides to its citizens. The walk back from Sunday morning mass was filled with occasional shopping and lots of laughter.
Following our morning free time, we all joined in the classroom to discuss recent political events in the United States. We connected the recent failed assassination of former president Donald J. Trump to leadership and how numerous “successful failures” exist when pursuing our careers. A quick break was scheduled for lunch around 11:30. Many of us brushed up our Italian Language skills from yesterday and attempted to order as “true Italians.” I went with a small group of girls and ordered some ravioli. It was unsuccessful and I eventually had to return to English. Following lunch, several of us got gelato to escape the blazing Italian heat.
Our afternoon was filled with presentations from Barrett and Pat about A&M traditions (often corrected by Joel because of his extensive knowledge of the university’s background), imposter syndrome, and the resources available for optimal mental and physical health during our first year. To top off the evening, students discussed our strengths and weaknesses to determine better how we can contribute when working with groups of people. We also received a mini-lesson about grass (yes grass) from Chef Joel D. P. Wiggins.
Tonight’s dinner menu was delicious compared to the nights leading up. Soon after, our group went downstairs to a tavern for entertainment. The boys watched the Euro Soccer Final while others played Uno. The day overall was more relaxed than the ones in the past. I cannot wait for all the adventures and opportunities ahead.
Ciara Coker
Date: July 14, 2024
Location: Assisi
Blogger: Barrett Brown ‘26
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Howdy, All!
My name is Barrett Brown, and I am one of the Student Leaders on the Trip with the freshmen. I am one of four Junior Advisors in the Honors Housing Community. What is that? Well, any of your freshmen that are part of the University Honors Living-Leaning Community will take part in events and a freshmen experience class that will help them grow as students, Aggies, and leaders across campus. I lead the team of Sophomores that is building this experience, and we can’t wait to welcome them in the fall! But enough about me, let’s talk about what we did today!
Today was our first class-focused day. After some students chose to attend mass, we gathered in the meeting room in our hotel for some lessons led by the student leaders and Program advisors! First, we talked about the recent events back in the states and related them back to some leadership and political science concepts. We talked about how as leaders, your freshmen will face adversity and that they will have to overcome it. Nic–Dr. Bradley–talked about how the students will face times of uncertainty in their lives, and how they will have to be flexible through it, and also about how rhetoric is powerful, and a lot of today’s political polarization is undoubtedly due to use of inflammatory rhetoric. We then had a brief history about cycles of political violence in United States history, starting with the string of assassinations in the 1960’s. I then had a chance to apply some of the concepts I’ve learned in political science, including the median voter theorem, first past the post voting, and how your freshmen can start to make the change they want to see in the world by exercising their civil rights.
After a break for lunch, I presented about Aggie Traditions. As the director for Legacy Night, the new Junior Class tradition, I’ve had an opportunity to shape how some of our Aggie traditions are executed, and showed the freshmen that they present an opportunity for leadership. Pat Policarpo, the incoming Memorial Student Center president and one of the Student Leaders on this trip, presented about mental health and wellbeing, and some of the resources available on campus to help the freshmen throughout their time in Aggieland. I came back for my second presentation about Impostor Syndrome, or the feeling that you don’t belong in the environment that you’re in. I encouraged the freshmen to remember that all of their accomplishments are valid, and just because someone else may have a different set of accomplishments, that doesn’t necessarily make them “better” than yourself.
I’ll be back with another blog post, but in the meantime, enjoy some gelato e una passagietta!
Ciao,
-Barrett Brown