“Every man’s heart one day beats its last beat, his lungs breathe their last breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others, and makes them bleed deeper, than something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever.”
-The Ultimate Warrior
A Warrior is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a brave or experienced soldier or fighter.” If you are in the same boat as me, this definition seems pretty vague. When I think of a Warrior, I think of a person that has made a remarkable impact on other people by their example, their leadership, the things they believe in, and the battles they choose to fight. They are people that you can look up to because they show you how amazing life can be when you take the punches life throws at you, and have to get up and keep fighting.
I have met a couple of Warriors throughout my life; people who have overcome struggle, and lead others by example. Most of those Warriors I’ve met have been through Winona State. When you decide to attend Winona State you become a Warrior by association, and bring with you a story to share. It is a pretty wonderful feeling. By the time you leave the school you have learned so much, fought so many battles, and left an unforgettable mark on so many people that will always remember you. It doesn’t matter where you go, you will always leave a footprint, a little something that will make people think of you.
When you come to a school like Winona State you leave with more than an education, you leave with a legacy. A legacy that started years ago, and that we keep alive by living with the standards any warrior has. We leave being leaders, with an un-destroyable integrity, and someday someone will look up to us the way that we look up to many that came before us.
Once you become a Warrior, you will always be a Warrior. Go, leave a footprint in this world for those of us that came before us, the ones that left us too soon, and the ones that will come after us. We have a wonderful job to do.