You think being a Bulldog Leader is all fun and games, but as you can see in the picture above, we mean business! We also play a sick game of laser tag.
The 24 of us buckled down the last Monday morning of August with five days to learn the ropes before the First Years came on campus. We met with everyone from Office of Campus Engagement to laptop central and ResLife. To start off the week we went to a ropes course at URI that put not only our physical, but mental abilities to the test. As a group, we saw what it was like to be in an unfamiliar situation and how to use each other as resources. And the occasional Bulldog Leader stuck hanging on a rope from the rock wall added some comedic relief. After the ropes course, we came back to Bryant to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge where we had fun pouring water on our fellow Bulldog Leaders. We then nominated the 4 Mile Leaders and Orientation Leaders to continue the fun! After an intense week of training and becoming closer than we thought 24 somewhat strangers could be, it was time for one of the longest weekends ever.
We were up bright and early on move-in day, wearing purple t-shirts and a smile, ready to welcome the class of 2018. We had to remember that we were the first faces the new students saw on campus so we had to at least pretend we were somewhat normal for the day. The Bulldog Leaders divided and conquered the Bryant campus while our top dogs drove around the golf cart making sure we were well-fed and hydrated. It was pedal to the medal to get all the First Years all moved in and ready to start their new lives as part of the Bryant community. We worked until dinner time where we brought the new students to President and Mrs. Machtley’s house for their first dinner on campus. The Bulldog Leaders weren’t exactly complaining- we got a nice meal, and most importantly a picture with the President and First Lady!
The rest of the weekend seemed like one never ending day with the First Year Festival kicking off the new students’ first year at Bryant. There were also small group sessions, casino night, and laptop orientation concluding one of the most rewarding weeks. Being a Bulldog Leader is something you can’t understand from the outside and can’t explain from the inside. The OCE staff and top dogs could not have picked a better group of leaders. Each and every one of us had something different to offer, but we shared the same passion and excitement for Bryant, whch we wanted to pass on to every freshmen that stepped foot on campus. After they met the Bulldog Leaders, there was no looking back; they were in it for the long haul.