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Oglethorpe President Teaches Students to Lead by Example
ATLANTA – Inspired by a challenge from Oglethorpe University’s president, Lawrence M. Schall, students have created three faith-based student organizations in six months.
And this first Jewish president in the institution’s 170 year-old history was asked by student leaders to act as campus advisor in the newly formed Muslim Student Association. “I am not sure I can think of another place in the world where this would happen. I know I have an immense amount to learn, and I look forward to being taught by my students,” he said.
Oglethorpe has no religious affiliation and is a smaller university with 1,000 students. First, about 20 students, led by two freshmen, reactivated the Jewish Student Union (JSU). “I applied to many schools, after I was accepted to Oglethorpe President Schall called me. I told him I was interested in being part of the Jewish Student Union. He told me I could be a member of the JSU at another larger university and maybe work my way up to an officer position by my senior year or I could come to Oglethorpe start the JSU and be the president my freshman year,” said Nathaniel Goldman.
Dr. Schall attended the Jewish Student Union’s first organized event, a shabbat dinner over Hanukah which began the resurgence of Jewish life at Oglethorpe.
Within a few months, two other organizations, the Catholic and the Muslim Student Associations were reactivated and created, respectively.
An example of Oglethorpe students being inspired into action was seen recently in a crowded fourth floor lounge in the university’s newest residence hall, where almost 50 students from the Catholic, Jewish and Muslim Student Unions gathered to share
Chick-Fil-A and Coca-Cola, watch a movie and talk. “In my 21 months here as President, I have never been prouder. I came to the event mostly just to be with our students, but the warmth in the room was palpable,” said Dr. Schall.
Oglethorpe is an intimate place where people know and care about each other. With the difficult news of religious warfare and hostility, a small college campus in the South provides an inspiring example. The Jewish students picked the first movie, next the Muslim students, then the Catholic students. Dr. Schall believes the small size of Oglethorpe’s student body allows students to do anything, make anything happen and leave a lasting campus impression based on their service and leadership.
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