by Amanda Bertsch
The group of excited, well-dressed students filed into the Southern Illinois University Student Center, eager to taste good food. If there is one thing that consistently increases attendance at campus events it is the offer of free food. In this case, the students were all members of Leadership Council. They had been invited to participate in a banquet with Vice-Chancellor Larry Dietz and Chancellor Walter Wendler.


The Leadership Council is open to all incoming first-year students (freshmen and transfer). Applicants must document a history of involvement in leadership activities, including community service. Grade-point average and ACT scores are also taken into account. The student development office manages Leadership Council, and staff member Kim Taylor is the advisor for the group. Members participate in a series of social, civic, leadership and educational programs. Council members serve for one academic year. At the end of the year, both past and present members are treated to a dinner. About fifty people were in attendance for the Leadership Council Banquet on Wednesday, April 26, 2006.
Tables were already set with plates and salads as the first students walked into the large room. At first the students clung together in groups, uncertain of where to go. After being told they could sit anywhere, they broke off into smaller groups and settled at various tables. A power point presentation with the photos and accomplishments of Leadership Council members flashed across a large, white screen. The room filled with chatter and the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor as members greeted one another. Salads remained untouched as everyone looked curiously around the room. No one wanted to be the first person to begin eating. As the students contemplated both their hunger and the appetizing salads positioned directly in front of them, Chancellor Walter Wendler made his way into the room. He immediately began shaking student’s hands and introducing himself. His wife, slim and dark-haired, began doing the same. Wendler was tall, gregarious and well-groomed with his neatly combed dark hair and gray suit. He had enough time to say a few kind words to all the students before the feast began. The meal consisted of grilled chicken, steamed vegetables and tea. Dessert arrived in the form of cherry cheesecake, and the whole affair appeared quite delicious.
As the last of the dessert was consumed, Vice- Chancellor Larry Dietz stood up and issued a few words of praise for the students.

It was revealed that a large part of the funding for Leadership Council came from his generosity. After he was finished, Wendler stood up and strode to the podium.
He flashed a genuine smile and congratulated the students on having the highest GPA average in Leadership Council history—3.7. Then he joked: “Larry (Dietz) and I had a 3.7 GPA in college as well. He had the 2.4 and I had the 1.3.” He proceeded to tell the audience how he was able to understand calculus better the second time around. His comedic manner reached everyone in the audience, many of whom responded with laughter. The sole exception was his wife, Mary. She sat stone-faced throughout the entire evening, never once cracking a smile. Wendler admitted that he felt intimidated being in front of such an intelligent crowd. He then told the rapt audience that “We must lead by example in our service to others.” He said he was proud of SIUC students who put in a combined total of 25,000 hours of community service in one year. The worth of such a large amount of service was estimated at half-a-million dollars. Leadership Council members have “contributed more than you’ve taken away,” according to Wendler.

He then explained that what the students took away was a solid base in education. The most important thing for every student to remember was to learn how to learn. He stressed that the students must “stay focused. One of the things about being a leader is that you are always watched.” Wendler elaborated that no matter where one happens to be at any given moment of time, he or she must be conscious of the fact that others are observing and taking notes.
After Walter Wendler was through with his insightful speech, Kim Taylor stood up to give a few remarks. She admitted that she was proud to be an advisor to such a hard-working group. She listed only a few of many extra-curricular activities that Leadership Council members participated in. Next, Dr. Katie Sermersheim briefly spoke. The director of Student Development told the group to remember that “No one rises to low expectations”. The banquet was officially over after her speech, a little over an hour after it began.
Megan McCallister, a former Leadership Council member, reflected on the banquet after its completion. “A wonderful event. Leadership Council is a wonderful opportunity for students to get involved and lead on campus”. Most students lingered behind, discussing the fact that Leadership Council was over. Many displayed downcast expressions until Kim Taylor pointed out that they were more than welcome to attend future banquets. The large group dissipated with the vow to meet for excellent food and company in a year’s time.