Campus leaders: find your niche to succeed

When an injury last year ended his playing career, senior Jarrod James traded playing on the football field for working as an assistant coach.

“I went from playing beside my teammates to coaching them in a matter of weeks,” he said.

Dealing with nerve damage in one of his shoulders since birth, James is used to complications.

“I had to work a little harder to be like everybody else,” he said.

Making the best of tough situations was a recurring theme for the six student speakers at Priceless Gems 2015, hosted by the First Year Focus Council on Thursday night.

“We wanted to create an event where mainly first-years, but really anybody, could come and listen to stories of people’s unique Carolina experience,” said McNair Mitchener, a First Year Focus Council member who helped organize the event.

James, Meghan Cabell, Russel VanZomeren, Shauna Rust, Zack Kaplan and Channing Mitzell all spoke at the event.

VanZomeren said he wouldn’t have always considered himself successful. During a tumultuous first year, he considered transferring.

“Much like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, the ‘Cs’ would follow me wherever I went,” he said.

But, after his first interview with Carolina Fever, he reevaluated his definition of success.

Success, he found, was making people smile.

“I’m content with being the goofy oddball I grew up being,” he said. “In this, I found my success.”

Campus Y co-president Rust spoke about the value of learning from past experiences.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve applied for things I haven’t received, but it’s important to keep trying,” she said.

Rust encouraged freshmen to follow their interests, just as she followed her passion for social justice and service.

“Once you find your niche or your thing, stick with it and see what happens,” she said.

Organizers chose Cheerwine and Vineyard Vines to sponsor Priceless Gems. The two companies and the Carolina Union Activities Board provided free refreshments and prizes.

Sophomore Abby Gay is the campus representative for Vineyard Vines and the co-chairwoman of the First Year Focus Council. Gay said Vineyard Vines was more than willing to sponsor the event after she reached out to the company.

Council member Katelyn Buffett said Gay encouraged her to ask the Cheerwine campus representative about sponsorship.

Mitchener said the council wanted to build upon past years’ events. He said Priceless Gems, now in its third year, started as a small event. This year, more than 100 people attended.

“It’s been improving, and hopefully, it’s a fun event for people who come,” he said.

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