November 30, 2004
Volume 2: Issue 11
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with Nikki Finch
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For
college football fans, there is almost nothing more exciting than
Saturdays in the fall. Although is has been a couple of years since I
was an undergrad at Florida State, I still remember days that the entire
city of Tallahassee shut down when the mighty Seminoles prepared to meet
and defeat an opponent in Doak Campbell Stadium. 80,000 committed fans
cloaked in garnet and gold marched into the stadium ready to cheer our
team to victory. However, while the fans and players alike all consider
themselves Florida State Seminoles, there was big difference between us
fans and the players and coaches on the field.
What was that major difference? Well it is quite simple. As Seminole
fans, we were just observing the action of the real FSU
players. While ESPN and Sports Center did their best to try and
clue us in on what was happening behind those locker room doors, there
was no replacement for actually being there. We did not get to go
inside the game and sit in on the coaches’ discussions as they finalized
the roster. We did not have the benefit of being in the huddle -
fatigued from running up and down the field and taking hit after hit.
We had not gone through two-a-days in the August heat in order to know
just how far a fellow teammate could be pushed.
Yes, the real players were on the field because they had done the work
to get there, and they had the knowledge and benefit of the coaches and
playbooks to keep them there. In a nutshell, if someone were to ask me,
“What does Student Leadership University 201 do for you,” my answer
would be just that. SLU 201 makes you, players- true leaders
on the field of life. In SLU 101, you learned the basics that get
you into the game such as how to manage your time, how to set goals and
achieve them, and the keys of the faith. Yet, this is just the
beginning. SLU 201 takes you inside the locker room and onto the
playing field of the Nation’s leaders- Washington, D.C.
Getting in the Huddle and Meeting the
Players
At SLU 201, you will get into
the huddle and meet some of the United States’ greatest players. You
will hear from a current member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their
Director of Intelligence to understand the cost of war and the price of
freedom. You will learn the leadership tools necessary for national
leaders from men and women such as Tim Tassopuolous, Senior V.P. of
Operations for Chick-fil-A; Jim Towey, White House Director of
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives; and Dr. Bob Reccord, President of
the North American Mission Board. Finally, you will attend an exclusive
Congressional Briefing at the National Press Club to hear from those
that draft the bills that shape our present and future.
Going Inside the Locker Room and onto the
Field
You will also step onto the only
playing field in the world where all great leaders come to dwell. You
will sit in the chambers of the Supreme Court to understand that the
battle for morality in this country has moved to the courts and into the
hands of lawmakers. You will take a special tour by the curator of the
Holocaust Museum, and follow it up with a special de-briefing, "Can
the Holocaust Happen Again?" by Dr. Richard Land, so that you can
continue to shape a worldview of excellence in your life. You will lay
a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Arlington Cemetery to
honor those that have fought for the freedom of our nation and others.
Not only will you hear directly from leaders from the Executive,
Judicial, and Legislative Branches of Government concerning their
perspective on the most important current political and social issues,
but you will also get to experience our nation’s most spectacular
monuments, memorials, and museums such as the Smithsonian, the Holocaust
Museum, and the newly finished WWII memorial.
Taking Part in the Game
Most importantly, by the time
you leave, you will be ready to play in the big game. Student Leadership
University 201 prepares you to not simply be a bystander in life, but
instead to get on the field, run the plays you design, and make the key
calls when crunch time comes. In light of the last election, there is
clearly no doubt that the next four years will see some critical
decisions come from Washington, D.C. Therefore, it is important that you
see for yourself how the game is played.
What are you waiting for? Get out of the stands, throw on your helmet,
and I will see you in DC for SLU 201 2005! |
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with
Luke Lin
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The ethical issues concerning cloning, stem cell research, and genetic
engineering are and will remain the hot topics of debate in our country
and around the globe in this decade and beyond. But how should
Christians respond? What are the deeper issues at hand?
It's interesting to note how these efforts to engineer life constitute
humanity's attempt to hold the incredible power of life in hand,
creating humanity in its own image. At its most basic level, this quest
for control over life is nothing but the classic struggle for power and
dominance. In essence, we want to become gods in the sense that we want
to have control over the what, the when, the who, and the how. It is the
quest to conquer nature and to gain increasing power over others already
in existence and over those who are not yet in existence. If left
unchecked, it will lead to what C.S. Lewis dubs the "abolition of man" -
the total destruction of humanity. As humanity secures more power for
itself over future generations and life, those in the future will have
decreasingly less power, ultimately leading to the control of a powerful
few who have engineered society over the rest who are reduced to mere
functions of control.
The end result: we become slaves to the very technology and scientific
progress we think will free us. By submitting fully to the drive to
conquer and control, we will seemingly gain power, but in the end, we
lose the essence of humanity which only God can instill and embed in the
human soul. We must be careful to protect our humanity and our freedom
by not allowing humanity's quest for power to usurp the essence of our
beings, created in God, the ultimate giver and taker of life. |
featuring Steve Miller
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Student
Leadership University has been a wonderful experience for
me. I have attended SLU for the past 4 summers, starting
with 101 in Orlando, and finishing up with 401 on a
fantastic cruise in the
Mediterranean.
Dr. Strack, along with many other talented and godly people,
have provided excellent Christian leadership teaching, which
is hard to find in today’s world. Each of the summers
provided many unique experiences and extremely interesting
and challenging lessons.
Being
able to visit places like
London,
Paris, Florence, and Madrid was an amazing opportunity. All
of our tours were filled with exciting ways to learn about
leadership, our Christian heritage, and to honor the past
and transform the future. The leadership sessions taught me
so many things, and made me think outside of the small world
I was living in. SLU taught the basics of leadership with
things like time management, goal setting, and the
importance of the experiences you have in your life. Each
year the curriculum would increase in its depth, and would
challenge me even more.
The
caliber of speakers and supervisors was remarkable. Many
high school students are not confronted or challenged to
take responsibility for making a difference. SLU not only
presented the issues that Christian young men and women need
to stand for, but also provided a clear way to do
so. Currently, I am a second-year cadet at the
United
States
Air Force Academy, and I can personally attest to the value
of the training I received in those four summers. In a place
where making leaders is the focus, having the foundation of
Christian leadership has been amazing. I have heard many
things at the Academy that I remember Dr. Jay telling me as
a freshman in high school! SLU dared to teach adult
attributes to high school students, and it has had a
tremendous impact on me.
Steve Miller is an SLU graduate, having progressed through
all years of our program, and is currently a second-year
cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. |
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Registration is
fully underway for our 2005 Season! Be sure to secure your
spot by
registering online for what will be an incredible summer
of leadership, learning, and fun. All of our
dates for next summer are available online, designed to
give you maximum flexibility in planning your summer.
If you are
eligible to attend SLU 301 or 401, please note that spaces
are extremely limited this year. If you register early, you
could save on costs that are anticipated for later
registrations. These life-changing trips are worth
prioritizing!
Don't forget that
most SLU information is available online through our website at
www.studentleadership.net. We want to
continue hearing from you! Let us know how you've been putting
leadership into practice. It is always a blessing to hear from
you. Our toll-free number is 1-888-260-2900.
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Ever get a
computer virus? Strongbad
has!
*Please note: Student Leadership University is not responsible
for content or links of third-party websites.
Have a weird,
funny, crazy, or wacky link?
E-mail it to us!
To view past
editions of The Edge, check out our archive
here.
Questions or comments are always welcome. E-mail us at
edge@studentleadership.net
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November 2004
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On the
Edge
This month Nikki
Finch, Director of SLU 201, takes a closer look
at the purpose of SLU 201 in Washington, D.C. Are you a
Player or a Fan? |
Edge Ledge
Your section
for culture and Christianity takes a look at
cloning and genetic engineering, as well as the
deeper underlying issues and how they affect both our
humanity and our faith. |
Life on the Edge
This month, read
about how SLU helped prepare one of our
recent alums for the challenges and rigors
of the Air Force Academy. Have an SLU story? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net
This month, we feature Steve Miller. |
Cutting Edge
What's up at SLU? Get the latest scoop on
what's happening here at Student Leadership University. |
Featured Articles
Check out the featured
articles of the month, including articles about
cloning, stem cell research, and genetic engineering. By being
informed of these critical events, we can begin to shape
an effective response to culture. Stay informed by reading
this month's featured articles. |
Over the Edge
In this section of The
Edge, we feature a crazy, funny, usual, or just plain
wacky link for your viewing pleasure. Check out this
month's wacky link! |
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Follow the links for the
full article. |
Made To Order
Babies
In a growing
practice that troubles some ethicists, a Chicago
laboratory helped create five healthy babies so that
they could serve as stem-cell donors for their ailing
brothers and sisters.
The made-to-order infants,
from different families, were screened and selected...
Read full article |
Stem Cell
Debate
Prior to September 11, the defining moment of the Bush
presidency had been the President's decision to limit
embryonic stem-cell research. And while that issue has
been overshadowed by the war in Iraq, it hasn't gone
away. In fact, it's back with a vengeance, and that
means it's time for Christians to understand the facts
and what's at stake in the debate...
Read full article |
British
Consider Cloning
The
British decision came after a group of medical experts
recommended that therapeutic cloning be allowed with
human embryos. If approved by Parliament, the
legislation would allow the cloning of human embryos for
the sole purpose of...
Read full article |
Stem Cell
Statistics
Get
the latest facts, information about, statistics on, and
vital points about stem cell research and procedures...
Read full article |
Stem Cell
Testimony
Read the testimony of Richard Doerflinger,
Deputy
Director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops...
Read full article |
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"Behold,
children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the
womb is a reward."
Psalm 123:7
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"Children
are a gift from God, not a pre-engineered choice."
Dr. Richard Land |
"Ethics, too,
are nothing but reverence for life. This is what gives me the
fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in
maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying,
injuring, and limiting life are evil."
Dr. Albert Schweitzer |
"A
man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help
all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring
anything that lives."
Dr. Albert Schweitzer |
"The
conception of worth, that each person is an end per se, is not a
mere abstraction. Our interest in it is not merely academic.
Every outcry against the oppression of some people by other
people, or against what is morally hideous is the affirmation of
the principle that a human being as such is not to be violated.
A human being is not to be handled as a tool but is to be
respected and revered."
Felix Adler, founder of the Ethical Culture movement
The Ethical Philosophy of Life |
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We want to hear from you! Do you
have a thoughtful response to the articles here? Have you
written a paper on one of the issues we're discussing this month
or have discussed? Send it to us at
edge@studentleadership.net |
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Established in 1994, Student Leadership University's
purpose is to empower students to conquer the future!
Combining hands-on experimental learning with a dynamic
classroom setting, students are equipped to influence
their generation for Christ with confidence.
For more information, visit us at
www.studentleadership.net or call us toll-free at
888-260-2900.
Edge Executive Editor:
Chris Crowe
Edge Associate Editor:
Luke Lin
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