Driven by Passion

They sat around the conference room as they had many times. But today, a sense of weariness hung over the group. In that room were some 30 or so professionals, my colleagues who do academic advising at the University of Iowa. This staff meeting was something of an oasis, a moment to stop, reflect, and enjoy each other as a summer filled with freshmen orientation sessions drew to a close. Eight down, one to go, not counting the assortment of one-day sessions for transfer students that would extend one of our busy seasons another week. The meeting was highlighted by a staff haiku contest and ice cream bars. We enjoyed the two-hours together before dismissing to our offices to peruse student folders for the next day’s incoming transfers.

I looked at my colleagues that morning with empathy – hey, I’m doing this, too – and much admiration. I’m not quite sure why it hit me at this busy moment but I saw not just familiar colleagues and tired faces, but something else – I saw a people of passion.

Passion has become a favorite word for me in recent months. Among Webster’s definitions of this word is “love.” Love as in an object of deep desire and interest. The older I get the more I sense the need for passion in life; to have that person, occupation, cause, that one commits him/herself to. It is passion, defined as love, that I’m come to see as what motivates those I work with five days a week in my university office. Let me share how I see this passion in three areas. (Perfect for a minister who does three-point sermons from time-to-time.)

Passion flows first for the students. My colleagues come from very diverse backgrounds. Some have education and training in student services. Many do not. Some, like me, have training in other professions and have dual careers. Many have seen their life journeys bring them to this place unexpectedly. But all of my colleagues have in common a love for college students. We primarily work with students who are in their first year, 17-19 years old, from metro areas and crossroads communities, with multiple dreams and no idea what life holds in the future. We advise on what to courses take but can’t make their decisions for them. We discuss how to improve study skills but can’t stop the invitations from others to set the books down and go out. We offer referrals but know many go unheeded. We celebrate with those students who work like crazy and gain admission to a competitive program. We grieve with those who work like crazy and miss out; good students who come up short. In all of these areas and in dozens more, we live and die and exist with our students. A semester or two of this can and does wear on advisors. What keeps us going is our passion - our love – for students and their journey through early adulthood.

Passion flows next for each other. I’m my seventh year at our office and am still a pup in contrast to those who’ve been there ten, fifteen, twenty years and more. Yet, we all have a tremendous respect and concern for each other – from the newest to the most senior. All are gifted, all are insightful, all are professional. We work inside individual offices but work as a team. Our office is large, with three hallways of advisors. We consult with each other, even if it means a walk to the other side of the building or a quick phone call. But beyond the professional support, we have characteristics of a healthy family. We celebrate achievements, births, engagements and marriages. We grieve in times of death and separation. We share concern at times of poor health or personal struggle. I’ve felt the support in the loss of my mother and the birth of two children in my time at our office. Each day, we greet the colleagues nearest to us with genuine interest. We are aware when a neighbor’s face shows tiredness or undue stress. We note when one is out for few days unexpectedly and often let those nearest know if we’ll be away on vacation. Why? We have that passion, that love for each person we work with. I’ve worked in many settings, secular and sacred, and find the collegial spirit here the finest in my experience.

Passion, finally, flows for us as individuals. I’m not sure how many of my colleagues would come out and say that they have a passion for themselves but I can see it each day. We all come to the office each day seeking to better ourselves, our skills, our understanding of advising at a large state university. But that desire to do better is not driven by job description, salary, status, or glory. My colleagues all have a personal love to be their best for their own sake. It’s a personal passion, a personal love that is not centered on ego but in an appreciation for the chance to excel at a calling in life. I believe that this personal passion is the driving force in what makes our office function effectively. We are self-motivated, humbly seeking to improve, to care more, to seek answers, to be our best. It is what makes us able to smile during the tiredness of mid-July in the middle of welcoming over 4,000 new students to their next chapter in life.

My advising colleagues and I made it through that week, and will wind down this busy season early next week. Some will scatter for awhile for a well-earned respite. Others will stay close to home to enjoy family, time in the garden, reading, and resting. A few, like me, will stick around to enjoy a few days of quiet and get a jump on the new busyness that will come with the start of Fall classes. I’ll be helping to train four new advisors joining our office family. I have no doubt that at their core they will be, and are, people of passion.

Passion is based on love, the love that drives persons to act, to function, to live to their fullest. After many years in Christian professional ministry, I realize that passion must be at the heart of what any church or religious organization does. For churches, passion resides in a love for a living Christ. Churches that function out of that belief and stay “in love” with Christ, have the passion to make a difference in the world around them. Funny how I’ve come to see my secular workplace as an example of how churches ought to function – passionate, caring, focused on those they are called to serve, enjoying the journey together.

It’s that passion that will bring those tired faces back for another academic year, ready to love the students they serve.