Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Reached peaks for African leaders: The last word


Below are two accounts from the perspectives of a former Eastern Graduate Program student, Stephanie Nitschke (IDEV '12), and a currently enrolled student, Timothy Paulson (IDEV '13). Both were/are in the MA program for International Development (IDEV) and participated in the Kilimanjaro ‘Reaching Peaks for African Leaders’ Climb.
-----

Stephanie
When Dr. Beth Birmingham and I arrived in Tanzania we could see Mt. Kilimanjaro surrounded by a flat landscape with clouds looming around the peak.  Suddenly the mountain was more daunting than ever before, and the magnitude of what we were about to do was setting in.  I turned to Beth and told her it’s not often we see a visual picture of the challenge in front of us. 

When I think about the most challenging experiences of my life, I never entered with a full picture of what I was taking on.  I seem to cope best when I just throw myself in and figure things out as I go.  Admittedly, my education with Eastern was no different.  When I began Eastern’s IDEV program I had no idea what an online class would be like, and even though it had been explained to me, I really didn’t understand the format of hybrid distance learning and residency classes.  At the beginning of my studies I was completely overwhelmed and ready to turn back, but there were people to assure me I could get through it.  After the initial gauntlet of first month of coursework, I was able to break everything down step by step.  Each step was taken with a prayer, a pep talk from me or a friend, and the virtual support of my classmates.  

The catch phrase on Mt. Kilimanjaro was “polepole” – Swahili for slowly, slowly. Our guide would make sure our pace was manageable, and as friends we would keep a close eye on each others' status. There was no shame in knowing your own limits and sharing that.  There was nothing to prove, as the mere attempt at such a challenge merited respect in its own right. No matter how the trek ended we all left with a higher level of admiration for one another.    For me, the key to getting through grad school and making it up that mountain was taking one step at a time.  Reaching out to other members of the community for assistance in my weakness made all the difference.  The whole picture would often get overwhelming, but when I kept a steady pace and stayed in the moment the task became manageable. 

Timothy
The region leading up to Africa’s highest peak is awe-inspiring in its beauty and scope. I recently endeavored to climb this, the world’s tallest “free-standing” mountain; I was accompanied by a classmate, Stephanie Nitschke, and one of my professors, Dr. Beth Birmingham. The journey took 5 days and covered several miles of hiking. As we progressed through Kilimanjaro’s varied climates and ecosystems, the air became thinner and the challenges became heavier. Increasingly, I had to take one step at a time without allowing my mind to fully engage with the enormity of the task before me. During the last leg of the upward journey, the stretch between Kibo base camp and the summit, the mental battle came to a sharp focus. Every plodding step felt like a challenge, and despite our snail’s-pace, I was breathing as if I was running mile 10 of a marathon. As my heart beat wildly like a bird in a cage, I had to continually shift my hiking pole from hand to hand so that I could warm up my free fingers in my pocket; my gloves were totally inadequate for the cold and the tendons and muscles in my hands became less responsive as I fought off numbness.

Stephanie
Tim and I were in agreement that the most difficult part of hiking to the summit was the section from Kibo base camp to Gilman’s point.  It was a 5 and a half hour hike at a very high altitude which began at midnight.  We were just under 4 miles in the sky.  The trail was steep, and the ground was mostly sand.  As I hiked up I struggled to get air.  I became sleepy and struggled to keep awake propping each step with my trekking poles.  I would stop for breath, but couldn’t catch enough.  It took me awhile to register what was going on.  It wasn’t until I recognized the feeling of my lungs being on fire that I decided to take a puff of my inhaler.  It took the steady pace of our guide, the support of a friend, prayer, and a bit of swearing to keep going at that point.  The mental battle was equal parts to the physical challenge. 

Prior to our midnight stroll, I read Romans chapter 5.  The verse that got me to the top was “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.” I encourage you to read the whole chapter so I don’t offer a misunderstanding of the text.  The nugget of truth I held onto was it is only by the grace of God I stand anywhere, and no matter where I end up standing it is due to an act of God’s protection and provision.

Two hours and four puffs later, I was at Gilman’s Point.  Our guide was reluctant to encourage me to keep going, but with only 90 minutes left of hiking, I decided to keep going even if I had to go back down the mountain on a stretcher.

Timothy
I remember praying intermittently as we climbed, trusting that Jesus was hiking alongside us. I even laughed to myself as I thought “We got ourselves into this Lord, but we need your help getting through it!” As Stephanie fought through asthma and lack of oxygen, I prayed for her and feared that she would have to turn back. Going on without my climbing companion was not an enjoyable prospect, as we had already been forced to see Dr. Birmingham turn back because of the conditions.

Finally, after what seemed like days of laboring in increasingly cold conditions, we made the top at Gilman’s Point in a last scramble over ice-encrusted rocks. As the glacier-cooled winds buffeted us, I turned and looked down on the constellation of moving lights representing other climbers far below us. Then I looked up to see the vibrant stars above, closer and brighter than I ever remember seeing them; as if I could simply reach up and grasp those cold, unwavering points of light. Then I began to laugh. The laughing brought tears of joy – joy that we had made this arduous climb and I stood there in triumph over the challenges faced below. From there (to my dismay) we had to walk another hour to the actual peak. This was truly the most difficult part for me, mentally. I had just ascended the mountain and seemingly finished, only to face another long walk through blisteringly cold winds. I simply put my head down and placed one foot in front of another, following Stephanie’s lead until we arrived at Uhuru Peak, the highest point on the continent.

As we walked back down the mountain in triumph, much refreshed and energized by our accomplishment, I thought about the personal implications of what I had just done. The verse that first came to mind is from Hebrews 12:11 and says “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” I had just undergone the most painful physical self-discipline exercise of my life, and it yielded a sense of accomplishment that I have not often felt in recent years. I also began to comprehend the metaphor represented by the climb. Every season that life brings has times where I must simply put one foot in front of the other and believe that the next step will not be my last. Rather, the next step is one closer the goal. Even as I am blindly following the guide in front of me, I know that I can trust that guide and must push through the mental (and spiritual) rollers that threaten to push me back or drown me. Every time I stumble or slide on a loose patch of gravel, even as I gasp for breath, there is one to grab me and put me back in step with Him. 

Stephanie
The challenge of Kili was one we chose to take on.  Unfortunately there are many challenges in life that we face without choosing to. The financial challenge of school is a large barrier to education for many African students. They don’t have the same available resources of loans and grants for a private graduate education.  My hope and prayer is that this experience will help in breaking down financial barriers for African students seeking to continue progressing as agents of change. I know there are leaders being raised up for a specific time and ministry.  We trust that financial partners will rise up to walk with these leaders.

Timothy
When thinking about education and this endeavor to raise awareness for the assistance of African leaders, I know that there will be adversity and challenge. Achieving a good education is difficult, and I am still in the middle of a M.A. program that promises plenty of challenges in the year ahead. Aspiring African leaders face even more challenges: high tuition rates, little government or financial assistance, language and communication barriers, etc. I am glad that Eastern, with the leadership of Dr. Beth Birmingham, has begun to raise awareness of the fact that there are many African students eager to learn and, in turn, to use that education to become leaders in their communities. Just this year, our Eastern University cohort learned that two of our African brothers would not be able to complete the program this year because of financial difficulty. I pray for those brothers and others like them who have the gifts and desire, and only lack the means of accomplishing their dreams. With God’s help, they too can overcome mountains of adversity and take the lead in the transformation of their communities.

 Stephanie
I'm going to seize this opportunity to steal the last word.  On behalf of Beth, Tim, and many more in the Eastern SLD community; it is our deep desire to support our African brothers and sisters in reaching not only the peak of completing their Masters, but also the peaks of building their communities, and ultimately the kingdom of God. It is only by God's grace we stand. May we be faithful with what we are given and give out.

Monday, July 23, 2012

The next to the last word: Don't second-guess your journey


After the climb up most of Kilimanjaro last week and lots of time to reflect on the way back down.... these thoughts seemed appropriate to share.  And I'm guessing some points of connection with your journey as well.... when the path takes an unexpected turn.

Years ago I applied for a full time faculty position at Eastern but the job went to someone else.  I was so disappointed, but God had a better plan.   Had I taken that post, I would have never had the opportunity of a two-year teaching assignment in South Africa, would have never had the privilege of learning with brilliant students like Lloyd Williams and Bryne Joynerwood, how poorer my life would have been without this.

Upon return from my two years teaching in Africa, my Assistant Dean role had been dissolved, I was returning to a faculty hiring process, new colleagues and a lot of unknowns.  I was disappointed and anxious, but God had a better plan.  As a full time professor, I have the privilege of walking alongside, learning with, learning from, the most incredible doctoral and graduate students from around the world, and overseeing the Africa programs and their students every year, THESE are my true mountaintop experiences.

Last week I set out to climb Kilimanjaro, all the way to the top (Uhuru Peak).  On Wednesday, at the 14,000 foot mark, altitude sickness ended my efforts to reach the final peak.  I was (and am) so, soooo disappointed and showed it through the long sobs in the arms of my climbing mates Tim and Steph.  But God has a better plan…

After the crying ended, there in the “saddle” on the mountain, and as the reality of all of it set in, two thoughts came to mind:

-- There is a bit of beauty and poetry in the professor watching her former students press on to achieve something she won't.  Shouldn't that be what the professorate is all about?

--This wall that I've hit, that felt insurmountable, probably feels quite like the wall of obstacles my beloved students from Africa, from Asia, from Latin America feel when trying to complete or continue their leadership development for the difficult work of serving the poor that God has called them to.  And wasn't that what this climb was all about in the first place?  (are you listening Francis?  Are you listening Emmanuel? – a bend in the road does not mean the end of your journey).

After the long, long journey back down, a third thought came to mind:

--This was never about the three of us climbing a mountain.  The mountain was a metaphor for the uphill climb our students from around the world face.   I came up with this idea of a fundraising climb in 2005, and in this past year have been able to tell you of the challenges our African leaders face in preparing them better to end poverty and restore shalom in their countries.  If you haven’t had the chance to help them in this effort, I would humbly ask that you join us in “this climb” and do so right now…. Any small (tax deductible) contribution goes a LONG, LONG way…

https://www.alumni.eastern.edu/sslpage.aspx?pid=567

I don't know what God's "better plan" is in all this for me, but I do know this.... David Greenhalgh, a colleague who completed this journey some years ago, suggested I be ready with a hymn at the top to sing with Tim and Steph at Uhuru Peak.

At 9:15 Thursday morning, as I was still dragging my sore and sickly body down to base camp, my guide got a text from Stephanie and Tim's guide… they had successfully made it to Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point, healthy, happy, safe and sound.  I started to cry again, this time with joy, and then came the hymn…

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Though art, How great Though art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Though art, How great Though art

Stay tuned… the Final Word on this blog is for my climbing mates, Steph and Tim, my Peak reachers, my heroes, my friends.

Peace,
Beth B.


Saturday, July 7, 2012

5 Key Questions to Ask Your Guide


5 Key Questions to Ask Your Guide

Next week we start our climb up Kilimanjaro.  Part of our team is the guide for the trip.  After teaching my leadership classes earlier this week, some questions for the guide come to mind (said with smile)…

1.  Have you traveled this way before? 

While its never possible to know all the twists and turns in the road, a good guide will have experience in navigating a variety of different terrains and contexts and know how to handle the inevitable unexpected circumstances.  Experience counts in this as most things.

2.  Do you know where you’re leading us?

Without a clear view of the peak in mind, we’re just a happy band of travelers on a good long walk.  The good guide has at least some vision of the end goal in sight, while the journey to get to it may have some twists in the road, there needs to be a clear vision of what “arrival” looks like.

3.  Do you know who is on your trekking team?

A good guide will get to know their team, know their strengths, weaknesses, their ability (pace) and aspirations.  Maybe everyone isn’t interested in reaching the peak, but happy to enjoy the view from a lower vista, its helpful if your guide knows this ahead of the journey.  Perhaps some may need to move at a slower pace or are able to move at a faster pace, a good guide will moderate the pace accordingly.

4.  Will you tell us regularly how we’re doing?

Communicate, communicate, communicate!  Your followers will follow (and stay highly motivated) if they feel informed and included in the progress updates about the trek.  Ensure your followers are “with you” both physically and mentally.

5.  What’s your philosophy of success?

A good guide knows that rarely a team (or organization) will succeed if only a few individuals succeed.  Success means the majority, if not everyone, embraces the vision, sees the goal, knows their role on the journey and stays motivated to reach their destination.

How about you?  Know any good Guides in your life?  Well now is your chance to honor them.  As part of the Kilimanjaro fundraising climb, we’re giving you the opportunity to publicly “honor the guide” in your life.  With your contribution to our African leader scholarship fund, you are not only lightening the load for our African leaders but your honoring that special person in your life who has been that model leader for you!  Contribute and then write me about it.  Your “guide” will receive a letter telling them all the reasons you’re grateful to be making this journey together! 

For more details see the Kili Climb site:
http://www.alumni.eastern.edu/reachingpeaks and click on “honor a porter or guide” at the bottom of the page.

Onward and upward!
Beth Birmingham

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The 'why' of what we do.


Last night I listened to a TED talk by Simon Sinek on what separates remarkable leaders from “those who lead”.  His main idea was that leaders are able to sell people on not just the what or the how, but the why of their actions. He built his case upon the fact that motivations appeal to the most basic brain structures that determine behavior (for more on that just listen to the TED talk). If I haven’t already lost you, the point is what distinguishes someone who leads from a leader like Martin Luther King, is the ability to communicate and attract people to the motivation of why you do what you do.  This is a valuable nugget for any organization, business, or ministry to reflect on.  Are you clear on your why is? Are you partnering with others who share the same why?

When I reflect on my time with Eastern University, there was one core motivation we as leaders all shared, and sharpened within each other.  We all desired to build the kingdom of God.  The kingdom of God made sound broad, elusive and too abstract, but track with me a bit.  As Christians we were all serving on different continents, in different cultures, and connected to different communities.  We were studying very large broad topics of organizational management and community development.  Despite the macro diversity of our positions, interests and invested time; we could recognize that there are underlying themes of how God desires all members of his kingdom, his family, to cooperate as one unit. We were all convinced that God hates poverty, and injustice. We also held the shared belief that God had called us to act against these forces of destruction in the world. 

 Our time with Eastern was an opportunity to become professionals better equipped with intellectual reason to play our part. With our main focus on how to advocate for and alleviate the suffering of those poverty, we discussed and hashed out what our roles are as individuals, as leaders of organizations, and members of a greater global body of Christ.  The most encouraging gem that became polished over two years of study, is that no matter how overwhelming, and hopeless the struggle against poverty becomes, when you are leading under the authority of God, there is an entire kingdom of resources and support that is also fighting alongside you.  Our education served to rigorously equip us intellectually and spiritually to engage in the global fight against poverty.

If any of these ‘whys’ resonate with you, please consider supporting the why of African students seeking to get a Masters in Organizational Leadership or International Development.  Many of these students desire to be equipped to play their role in the fight against poverty, but still need partnership to overcome financial barriers to studies.  As a self-funded climber, along with my colleagues, we are acknowledging a shared motivation to build the kingdom and continually build leaders to engage in the struggle against poverty. We are not only acknowledging this common ground but choose to partner with those who share our why.

For more information on how to financially give, please visit our website.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

A Real Leader Knows How to Power With


Just a few weeks ago I completed my studies with Eastern University.  The very last paper I wrote reflected on interviews with Ugandan Pastors and country specific research analyzing cultural perspectives of what causes gender based violence in Uganda. By the conclusion of the paper I watched my studies come full circle as I found myself quoting a reading from one of our very first classes on power dynamics of relationship.  As a leader, it is a valuable gem to realize early on how dynamics of power influence relationship, and how to use power to construct rather than break down.  The message Eastern branded into our brains over two years was the message of the servant leader.

The term ‘servant leader’ has become the academic framing for what it means to model the leadership of Jesus Christ. It is difficult to hold the corner market on full understanding of what Jesus’ leadership style really was, but as 21st century Christians the most highly esteemed qualities of Jesus’ leadership was his posture of servant.  The leader who washes the feet of his followers, focuses on the most marginalized people in society, offers wisdom to the most wealthy, and goes so far as to sacrifice his life for all, is honestly a difficult model to live up to.  One of my favorite places where Christ describes his leadership is in Matthew 20:25-26,

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many  (NASB).

As a leader, Christ possessed a true humility rooted in the confidence of God’s sovereignty.  Humility is often understood as insecurity and weakness.  Christ was neither insecure nor weak. He knew where he came from, and he was fully aware of the power God gave him.  He did not question whether God had a purpose for him, and he did not come to earth displaying his power through might.  Christ did not come to earth to prove to everyone he was powerful, because he was confident in what the truth was.  There was no need to compensate for an inferiority complex.  Rather, Jesus came to earth to restore humanity’s relationship to God. A leader with such a role to fulfill would not be successful asserting authority in an oppressive, dominating way.  That would have contradicted his message of freedom and peace. 

Christ taught us how to power with those we lead. To “power with” means to foster the capabilities and value of other human beings. Jesus’ example teaches us to care for the least of these, and as we do we actually show love to God himself (Matthew 25:37-40).  

In my personal experience, I have greatly benefited from those who have fostered my capabilities through educational, spiritual, professional and personal means.  My education has been made financially possible through the generosity of those who have invested in me through scholarship funds.  I am thankful for those who have powered with me, so that I may pour into the community I serve with greater capacity.  This summer, I and a couple others are hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro in an attempt to raise scholarship money for African leaders pursuing graduate degrees in development studies and organizational leadership. If you would like to join Eastern University in powering with African leaders as they pursue Masters in Organizational Leadership and Development Studies please click here for more information.

Monday, April 16, 2012

"His name was Caleb, He called me baby"


…. Honoring the Porters in your life
Reaching Peaks for African Leaders

Last year my friend Kate and I went on a gorilla trek in Western Uganda.  We arrived early in the morning and were greeted by the organizers and guide and introduced to a group of young men who were going to be our “porters”.  Of course Kate and I mentally rolled our eyes a bit… we’re young, we’re strong women, we’re self-sufficient Americans, surely we would not need a porter for our trek!  I then meet Caleb, a polite fellow with a grin that could light up the night who says “I will take care of you baby”….. WOW, this just keeps getting better and better….. now my feminist leanings are screaming – YOU DON’T NEED A PORTER!  Sure enough, it is the “standard” thing to do, so Kate and I comply, and off we go with our new travel mates…. And about 10 minutes into our trek, I am seeing the wisdom and need for Caleb in my life.  Who knew?

He was always there…. There to carry the backpack when it got heavy, there to push me up a steep hill from behind and there to grab my hand and hoist me up when the rocky places were slippery.  There for good conversation about what we were seeing and ensuring I didn’t miss anything, and there to sit quietly and share a meal with.  He was just there through it all and I was grateful.

This experience had me thinking of the other “porters” in my life…. Those colleagues and friends at Eastern who have always been there to share the load.  Of course for my own leadership journey, I think of my colleagues Stan, Peter, Begona and Sharlene.  We were there for each other when we couldn’t see the path ahead as the School of Leadership and Development was created, we were hoisting each other up over the bumpy terrain of NGO partners, we carried each other’s loads and each other’s burdens when we placed mothers and daughters into the arms of Jesus, and we sat quietly and celebrated at resurrected marriages.  We were just there together through it all and I am grateful. 

My students share the same types of experiences with me about our Africa residency programs (www.eastern.edu/sld).  The students create quite the bond during their two years together, supporting and encouraging each other at the residency in Africa, and pushing each other from behind and hoisting each other up over rocky times during their year of on-line coursework.  Time and time again I will hear the stories of the fellow student or professor who was just there helping carry the burdens of a struggling student when life or career takes an unexpected turn.  To hear those stories, to be part of this journey… I am grateful.

How about you?  Can you think of those around you on your journey who have just been there to carry your load, to steady your footing over the sometimes rough terrain we find ourselves on?  Well now is your chance to honor them.  As part of the Kilimanjaro fundraising climb, we’re giving you the opportunity to publicly “honor the porter” in your life.  With your contribution to our African leader scholarship fund, you are not only lightening the load for our African leaders but you're honoring that special person in your life who has done it for you!  Contribute and then write me about it.  Your “porter” will receive a letter telling them all the reasons you’re grateful to be making this journey together! 

For more details see the Kili Climb site:
http://www.alumni.eastern.edu/reachingpeaks and click on “honor a porter or guide” at the bottom of the page.

Onward and upward!
Beth Birmingham

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Leadership and the Metaphor of the Mountaintop

The Kilimanjaro Fundraising Climb for African Leaders

Throughout history, leaders have used the mountaintop, or “high places” as a point of their reflection, a moment of rest, a vista for the way forward.

Moses received some pretty good lessons on a mountaintop; Jesus had a number of significant experiences and lessons in His mountaintop moments.

In his “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech, Martin Luther King experienced the mountaintop and saw a view of the Promised Land… he never got to see it this side of The Gates, but passed through them the next day. 

Nelson Mandela looked back over his journey from a high place - “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.” (Nelson Mandela, former president, Republic of South Africa)

There’s something about viewing our work, our organizations from a different perspective, from high up, one can view just how big and small some of our efforts and problems really are.   While there are dozens of metaphoric lessons on leadership and the mountaintop experience, let me share just a few….

The journey is long, travel light.  WOW, it’s easy to carry the baggage of ego, our marred identity (I am the job, I am the title), and the God Complexes (if I don’t do it, the organization will collapse) with us on this journey, but frankly too much attention is paid to leadership and not nearly enough to stewardship.  We are not owners but merely stewards, of our work, of our teams, of our resources…. For such a time as this.

Don’t be overwhelmed by how far the peak looks. Strategic planning is good, forward thinking is good, but looking too far ahead results in two things: we feel overwhelmed by the distance, and forget how quickly things can change.  So take time to plan, to give a glance at the journey ahead, but stay focused and take it one step at a time, making sure to stop and celebrate those victories and milestones along the way.

Hey, did you notice, you’re not on this journey alone?  So little about leadership truly rests with individual effort. There are the select few that hold the title, and have the perks, but it’s the real leader who recognizes their true role is in acknowledging those with them on the journey, strengthening and cheering them on in the climb.     

Carry someone else’s load and let them carry yours.  It is the rare and right leader who is both willing to shoulder the load of others, and who humbles themselves to let others carry theirs.  We move in and out of our leader and follower roles, carrying each other’s burdens, sharing the load.

At the peak, stop, rest, and enjoy the view.  Here’s the moment to savor, to look back from where you’ve come, to reflect on the people who’ve made the journey with you and the moments that got you here.  When the noise of the day-to-day quiets down, it’s easier to hear the things that are important for the way ahead.  All that loomed large down in the valley is suddenly so small.  And the important visions for the future break through.  Stop, savor, reflect and rejoice.

One deep breath and down you go.   While it may be tempting to stay up on the mountain, or live for those mountaintop experiences, it is, however, in the valley that the real work happens, its where our calling lies, laboring and working for solutions to big problems, building up and edifying those around us.  With greater clarity between the insignificant and the important because of those mountaintop experiences.  

For the last 16 years I’ve walked alongside many amazing leaders from all around the world.  Together we’ve gathered for an annual residency somewhere in Africa, Asia or Latin America to study and discuss ideas about faith, service and leadership in ministry and NGO work.  Those annual residencies are mountaintop experiences for me, and many a student has shared that they are for them as well…. Times to step away, be quiet, reflect and grapple with the day-to-day realities of leading their organizations.

It is their faces I will reflect on when I sit atop Kilimanjaro in July.  Not only my own leadership journey, but their stories as well, will be with me.  For every one of these great leaders, there are dozens of others who could have a greater impact with their work, if only they had further opportunities for leadership development.  But the financial resources are ALWAYS a challenge.  That’s where you come in.  Would you consider supporting one of these leaders today, “carrying some of their load” while they carry the huge burden of serving the poor in the hard places of the world? http://www.alumni.eastern.edu/reachingpeaks

For more information about the programs the School of Leadership and Development offers go to: www.eastern.edu/sld.  For more information about the Fundraising climb, visit http://www.alumni.eastern.edu/reachingpeaks

--Beth Birmingham
Associate Professor of Leadership and Change
Eastern University Alumni
Kilimanjaro Climber :-)