Our topic of discussion as of late has revolved around the power and influence. This week it started with a story that Kevin relayed to us concerning a man named Lenema who would request unusual things of his friends, including but not limited to, allowing him to practice giving them sponge baths. The moral of Kevin’s story was not to underestimate the power of influence. This turned into a conversation about the pope, and the postulating of questions regarding his real power, his perceived power, and the execution of his power.

 Henry wondered what kind of decision-making power the pope has, “Can he say things like, ‘Bring me a hamburger!’ or ‘That man dies!’” We didn’t really know. Since Henry is planning to move to Italy next semester he has been doing a lot of research. He learned from a friend in Italy that the previous pope never built anything for himself or commissioned a painting in his honor, and that the public respected him for not seeking his own glory. We all silently admired JPII’s humility and virtue…then we started talking about the statues we would like to build in our likenesses and what our personal basilicas would look like.

 Still on the topic of influence and honor, a chunk of our Resident Assistant staff is graduating and moving on after this semester, so I’d like to dedicate these last hyperlinks to their honor.

 Chuck Rhine has dedicated the last two years of his life to serving the joy of the guys on his wing. Chuck also programs “outside of the box” and introduced his guys to activities for more mature audiences—like the time he took his wing to play BINGO.

 Jennifer Schaerer took mentoring to a whole new level with her genuine interest in the growth and development of the girls on her wing. The ladies who live on the Siberia wing are more prepared for life after TAMS because of Jen’s maturity and depth of insight.

 Spencer Davis will be forever emblazoned in the history of TAMS as the man who drove his motorcycle in Mac Café. Spence’s contagious energy and heart will be sorely missed by students and staff alike.

 Bianca Ortega gave us a new outlook on pop culture with her thought-provoking wing themes and personal discussions. She used her creativity to teach others how to turn ordinary things into masterpieces—like roommate relationships into sisterhood and bananas into chocolate awesome.

 Matt Hoffer and his cultural influence can be seen all over the hall from his photos of Bruce Cafeteria on his wing to his paintings in the Conference Room to the newly engineered Art Gallery in Mac Café. Hoffer’s sincerity and compassion for others are irreplaceable.

 Temple Latimer brought to McConnell a wealth of experience and a commitment to authentic relationships with students and staff. Every Mac resident can recognize Temple’s joyful laughter from a mile away, and we’ve all been motivated by her heartfelt encouragement.