At 19, I became SGA Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the community college newspaper, both at the same time.
In high school, I had barely said a syllable or even made eye contact with another human. So naturally, my ego exploded like a popped kernel. I had TITLES!
At the newspaper, I made my byline font HUGE. I wrote all the good stories and tossed everyone else the scraps. In SGA, every announcement, every meeting, every decision somehow became the "Butch Show."
But it didn't take long for a reckoning. The wise newspaper advisor had heard enough and finally herded me into his office. He growled point blank:
"Rein in the ego or you're out."
It was an ultimatum. It was brutal. And exactly what I needed right then.
I learned the hard way that real leadership isn't about making everything about you. It's about lifting other people up, sharing credit, and remembering the titles are temporary. The impact you leave behind must not be.
If a scared, inexperienced 19-year-old could course-correct, you can too.
Butch Oxendine
Executive Director, ASGA