Brenau's executive director of alumni and constituent engagement leads her fellow Winter 2015 graduates in moving their tassels.

Strength in Numbers

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

When H.J. Pearce penned the Brenau Ideal in the late 1800s, he closed with a poignant take on the power of human will, encouraging students to be “serenely confident of the limitless reaches of human endeavor.” Just as Gandhi identified true strength as a direct result of the human mind, so too did Pearce, and this legacy of mental and emotional strength still resonates today throughout the ranks of the institution – especially in our efforts to encourage strength through leadership.

I spent the last 18 months in Brenau’s online master’s program in organizational leadership. (Yes, I am very excited to now be an alumna alongside each of you!) There are several schools of thought surrounding the characteristics of world-changing leaders. Some believe that the best leaders are born with innate traits that direct their paths. Others feel that leadership is simply a set of skills that can be learned and fully implemented by any teachable student. Most likely, it is a combination of these theories that results in the type of leaders who engage followers. Regardless of the exact formula, one thing is certain – “indomitable will” and the belief in a limitless potential surely result in a type of intellectual strength that is unmatched by physical training.

At Brenau University, we believe that each student and alumnus possesses the potential for greatness, and it is our duty to provide opportunities – both inside the classroom and out – that strengthen the mind in ways that lead to the “limitless reaches in human endeavor.” Some of you have already reached a pinnacle of strength in your careers and personal lives, as evidenced by the impressive list of nominees for the 2016 Alumni Hall of Fame and Outstanding Alumnae Awards. Most are on the journey toward great things, perhaps detoured by the details we call “life.”

Regardless of your path, the commonality between all who consider Brenau a part of their story is the strength we find in each other. You did not get here alone! Friends, professors, advisers, mentors, and certainly families supported you and believed in you. As a result, you have made a home in Brenau. No matter where your future takes you, a piece of your heart is here.

Be Brenau Strong!

Jenny Dell, BU ’15
Executive Director
Alumni & Constituent Engagement
jdell@brenau.edu / 770.534.6164

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