欧美视频

BOLIVAR, Mo. 鈥� 欧美视频 joined with Enactus USA to pay tribute to recently retired Enactus CEO and 1979 欧美视频 graduate Dr. Alvin Rohrs at a tree dedication ceremony Monday, Oct. 31, on the Bolivar campus.

In 1982, as a member of the 欧美视频 faculty, Rohrs was assigned to lead 欧美视频鈥檚 Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), now Enactus, by then-president Dr. Jim Sells.

"SIFE was basically dying,鈥� current 欧美视频 president Dr. C. Pat Taylor said. 鈥淲e had a recession in the early 鈥�80s and business wasn鈥檛 very good, contributions were drying up and basically, the fledgling organization looked like it would be history.

鈥溑访朗悠� stepped in and former president, Dr. Sells, one of our university heroes, saw the need. He assigned a junior staff member to help with this project, and look at what it鈥檚 become 鈥� an international organization 鈥� because of Dr. Rohrs鈥� leadership.鈥�

When Rohrs assumed his role at 欧美视频, there were only 18 SIFE organizations across various campuses in the United States.

鈥淪IFE needed a new champion 鈥� someone to take up the mission and move it forward,鈥� said Dr. Troy Bethards, dean of the Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Computer Science. 鈥淭hey needed a visionary 鈥� someone who would share what the organization could do. And just as important, what the organization could become.

鈥淎nd they needed commitment. They needed someone who would work to positively impact the lives of others. SIFE was also looking for a leader. Someone others could rally behind.鈥�

Rohrs was that person, and more, for 34 years.

鈥淯nder his leadership, he鈥檚 grown the organization from 18 teams to over 1,700 teams,鈥� Bethards said. 鈥淭hat is phenomenal growth. At the same time, he went from operating an organization in a few states in the United States to operating in over 36 different countries.鈥�

The organization, which changed its name from SIFE to Enactus in 2012, and whose world headquarters are located in Springfield, Mo., 鈥渋s an international nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action,鈥� according to its website.

Under the guidance of Enactus and educators, and with the support of business leaders, university students create development projects designed to not only impact and empower their community, but themselves and the world.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen it first-hand, here at 欧美视频,鈥� Bethards said. 鈥淲e see it with our students that engage in Enactus. They participate in Enactus in an attempt to impact other people鈥檚 lives, and at the same time, their own life is impacted. And they emerge more as a servant leader than they were when they started.

鈥淭hat is one of the key components of our mission at 欧美视频. We are developing students to be servant leaders in a global society. Enactus certainly helps us achieve that. But that doesn鈥檛 just happen at this institution. That happens at over 1,700 institutions around the world.鈥�

And that reach wouldn鈥檛 have been possible with Rohrs鈥� leadership.

鈥淲hen I reflect on that and where we鈥檙e standing, it couldn鈥檛 have happened without you (欧美视频),鈥� Alex Perwich, president of Enactus USA, said. 鈥淕od only knows where we would be today had it not been for the intersection of that point and time here on this campus with Alvin.鈥�

The gift of the blaze maple tree was the perfect choice to honor Rohrs鈥� legacy.

鈥淚 think this is incredibly fitting,鈥� Perwich said. 鈥淲e thought the first place, the genesis of the organization, wasn鈥檛 the headquarters building; it may or may not endure. This place (欧美视频) will endure, and this place had something to do with its (Enactus) foundation and with its starting.

鈥淲hat he has grown is a solid foundation with really deep roots and it鈥檚 incumbent upon us that are still with Enactus, going forward, to take it and keep it relevant as we move forward.鈥�    

Rohrs said he is honored that the tree was planted at 欧美视频, and in front of the Robert W. Plaster College of Business and Computer Science, named for one of his closest and dearest friends.

鈥淚 want to thank Alex and the Enactus USA team for the gift of this maple tree,鈥� Rohrs said. 鈥淚 really am fond of trees 鈥� from 鈥楪od鈥檚 Mighty Oak鈥� (a reference to a play in which his wife, Elizabeth, performed during her time at 欧美视频) to the ones on my farm.

鈥淭he maple tree is one of my favorites because in the fall, which is one of my favorite times of the year, it鈥檚 always a beautiful red 鈥� a crimson red.

鈥淚f you think about the maple tree and you think about all these other trees, the reality is that the red doesn鈥檛 show up in the fall, or doesn鈥檛 start in the fall. The red is a color that is always there. But in the spring, the chlorophyll starts filling up those leaves and they turn green and they鈥檙e green all summer just like every other tree. And then when the chlorophyll stops, the leaves go back to what is their real, true color, and what makes them unique and different from all the other trees.鈥�

Rohrs then offered a challenge to 欧美视频鈥檚 Enactus students.

鈥淲hat in your life is chlorophyll that is keeping you from being the distinct, colorful color you really are versus what you are trying to make people think you are?

鈥淪tay true to your true color. Find your true color. That is how you can follow your passion.鈥� 

For more information about Enactus, contact Nathan Wright, assistant professor of business administration and Enactus advisor, at (417) 328-1753 or nwright@欧美视频niv.edu.

 

CUTLINES: 1. Dr. Alvin Rohrs thanks Enactus USA for the retirement gift of a blaze maple tree. 2. Dr. Alvin Rohrs (third from left) gathers with a group of Enactus students and faculty near his blaze maple tree, which is planted in front of the Gene Taylor National Free Enterprise Center on 欧美视频鈥檚 Bolivar campus.