BSU: The Next Ten Years. Its amazing to think about all that has happened within the last ten years, let alone what will happen in the next ten… I am not too sure if I believe that the world will end on 12/12/12 (at least i’m hoping that it doesn’t! 
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Lets assume that the word will still be thriving ten years from now. What will it be like? What will the state of the economy be, or our national debt? How much will technology have improved? Will cars be driving themselves? Will an iPad still be the hottest commodity? And, then I think about what a college campus might be like and I wonder how technology will be inflused into the classroom? Will everything be done through the inter-webs? How interactive will the internet be by then? Will Google take over the social media platform battle, or will Facebook still remain top dog?
There are lots of things to think about, and endless possibilities that could come to fruition. I find it hard to envision BSU ten years from now. We will have undergone a complete identity change by 2013. From our new name, to the University Park that is due to begin construction this summer, endless potential are awaiting this campus. Heck, BSU might not even be called BSU in ten years…
One thing I do know, is that I will be signed up fot a tour of BSU ten years from now. You can bet on that. BSU has and will always have a special place in my heart. The spirit that thrives within the walls of this great institution will always invigorate me to be my best. After all, without BSU and the people who have made an impact on me, I would not be where I am today.
I never left BSU after completing my bachelors degree because I felt like I didn’t make a big enough mark on this institution. Over the last year, as a graduate student, I have been able to feel the impact I have been working towards making. Its real. I can see it, I can feel it, and best of all, I can continue to influence it. I see students who I have have been fortunate enough to influence, and it gives me more joy than words can express. I see students who come up to me and say “You were my OL!” OR “You gave me a tour of BSU”. Yet, the best one I have heard was “you influenced me to go Greek, and now I am one of your brothers”.
Through my actions, I have impacted student life on campus, and it empowers me to give every day my best effort. You never know who you will encounter in a single day. You never know how many lives you will touch. You never know the influence you have until someone shows you. Every time someone tells me about how I have influenced them, my commitment to help students succeed grows even more!
So, what BSU will be like in ten years is a hard question to answer. I dont even know where or what I will be doing in ten years from now, so it seems daunting to envision what a university will be like. We are still waiting for generation Z to grow up and become college students so that we can study them and place a theory to their generation, just like all generations past. We are waiting for the next greatest improvement in cancer research, and for the next presidential election. How can I envision what this place will be like? If I were the President, then I would say that it is my job to answer this question, but for right now, I need to start envisioning what my thesis topic will be… Instead, here are a few things I THINK life ten years from now might be like:
- Technology will redefine the way students learn and develop
- TextBooks will most likely not be printed in paper, but rather on a screen
- Cars will run on electricity, or something comparable to gasoline, but with lower emissions
- Waste will decompose faster, cleaner, and be more sustainable
- Buildings will be more GREEN
- Athletes will be faster, stronger, and more competitive than ever
- Tuition will be more expensive
- Cost of living will be higher
- Google will re-define the way we communicate and how we use technology, watch tv, and live our lives
- More online degrees will be given out
- Master’s programs will increase in size due to an even more competitive job market
- Phones will be geniuses
I really don’t know for sure what the future of America, BSU or Higher Education will be. I do wonder where I will be though. Somewhere new, or still here at BSU? I could be anywhere, and that is the beauty of the future. No one knows where our journey will take us. All we can do is embrace the present, stay positive, do the right thing, and enjoy the show! I believe that everything happens for a reason, and the things that you love will never leave your side.
I really enjoyed writing about this question, and I think that the BSU community gained a lot from this year’s #BSUsmw (social media week)! A community bound together by a common mission is what will help to guide BSU into 2022, and I am really thankful to have been apart of it! Thank you to everyone who participated, organized, and supported this great celebration!
Happy Blogging!
