ResponseAbility

By: Sondell Cross

“I am convinced my life belongs to the whole community; and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn brightly as possible before turning it over to future generations.”

It is a privilege to help others when you belong to a community. I believe one of the greatest laws of life is to understand our responsibility to a community much greater than ourselves and to learn to sacrifice ourselves for others. We speak the words every week at Chapter meeting, “To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world’s work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied.” It’s fairly easy to serve others with our hands but there are totally different aspects of service that many people overlook. Service is not just helping an elderly woman with her groceries or volunteering in a children’s ward at a hospital; service is something you do with every part of your being. We must also have the ability to listen. I feel that listening is the single best service we can provide to anyone. We must develop an ear that can listen not only to words but can truly hear the strength, compassion, and humility to take action.

This is where Alpha Gamma Delta has forever changed my perspective on listening and calling to serve those in my community and those around me. We all got the opportunity to view the video ResponseAbility- which discusses the effects of bystander behavior. I was truly compelled to do something on a larger level then just decide to stand up to being a bystander. I went ahead and wrote up a testimonial for the program, in hopes my words can encourage other organizations to participate in this wonderful endeavor. And this is what my testimonial consisted of…

“ I am Sondell Cross, a new member of Alpha Gamma Delta- Delta Xi Chapter at Arizona State University. This semester I have been educated on many interesting things that are helping me develop to be the best I can be and will allow the qualities that I bring to shine through my daily interactions not only within Alpha Gamma Delta but as a student at ASU.

Recently, I was introduced to the ResponseAbility - Bystander effect video. This video truly empowered me to make a change in the type of behavior I unknowingly contributed to in my daily interactions within my community. Soon after viewing this video and discussing it with my group, I began observing the effects of bystander behavior all around me. This got me thinking in a much larger spectrum than just implementing this challenge to the Greek Community. At my campus currently the enrollment managers are trying to implement strategies that make Orientations and freshmen seminar programs worthwhile and more substantial.

Viewing the content of this video inspired me to believe that students would take a more active role in their communities if they were encouraged to consider the thought processes and concerning circumstances presented in this material.

I have thought a lot about this idea, and I’m meeting with the Vice President of Provosts, Enrollment Manger, as well as the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions to discuss the possibility of this program becoming an addition to the orientation/first year student curriculum.

I have a strong belief that if presented with the challenge, students will far exceed expectations and contribute to a greater campus environment, and I know this video can provide that direction and expectation for them.

I am fully committed to making this goal a reality. I am truly blessed to be a part of such an amazing Greek community that finds value in presenting lessons like ResponseAbility and recognizes that we ultimately have the power to confront the bystander effect by taking an active step towards making the difference. I feel members of the non-Greek community should have the opportunity to be shown this valuable resource.

I want to thank you for the hard work and dedication you have put into educating students across the country. I am impressed with the positive feedback, and impressed with the positive impact you have made across many university campuses.”

I now recognize, and stand up to the effects of bystander behavior, and without the resources that Alpha Gamma Delta has provided its new members, I don’t know if I would have ever recognized this behavior. I have been inspired to step out of my comfort zone and make that conversation with the Dean of students to provide this program to every student that walks the halls of this campus and for any campus in Arizona for that matter! At this time my efforts are to get this program implemented in our ASU 101 classes as well as get student governments across the state of Arizona to implement it into their leadership conference schedule each year.

Can you believe that just one video provided in a new member education meeting is about to do so much. Imagine what amounts of endless opportunities we have as Arizona State Universities Alpha Gamma Delta- Delta Xi’s chapter to have this effect in many other areas surrounding our campus. I want us all to remember that we all have the power to accomplish great things and we have the support to get it done with the help of the 78 members we initiated this afternoon. I am truly blessed to be among a group of woman that is willing to think outside the box and make a difference and I am so PROUD to be called an Alpha Gamma Delta today! The quote above helps us recognize, The darkness of the entire world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle, nor can a world of skepticism darken the heart of a believer. I hope to spread that light each and every day to remind myself of the passion that I have and to reconnect me to the lights that I know exist across the campus within each and every one of you as well as the other Alpha Gam’s across the country.