Lenwood M. Ross's Linkedin Analytics

When asked about my proudest achievement, I would often tell this story. But it's only recently that I have come to understand why. I have always been motivated by helping other people. That is true today, as it was when I was an undergraduate at Yale. So, when I discovered Yale's campus libraries didn't have extended hours during midterm exams, it irked me to no end. At Yale, I was one of 24 representatives on the Yale College Council. I was a student government nerd, as in high school and middle school. For me, student government was the place to make a difference. I excelled at bridging the gap between administrators and students. When an opportunity arose to serve on Yale's Library Committee, I jumped at the chance. As you can imagine, there was not much competition. At 19, I brought the committee's average age down to about 70. There were a few tadpoles in their 80s, some whippersnappers in their 70s, and me. I can't say for sure, but I suspect I was also the only black student to ever serve on the committee. After building up some cred with the gang, I raised the issue about library hours. Of course, I needed to think about the budget. At that age, my only concern was for the students. They required me to do a study and report back. My results were favorable, and the committee agreed to extend the hours. Why is it my proudest achievement? Every undergraduate from that day forward got the benefit of that effort. I did something small that made a difference for everyone on campus. It's a little thing. I may make more of it than it deserves. I am sure it is taken for granted. But a black kid from New Hampshire thought to make that happen. How many doctors, lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs, bankers, scientists, marketers, and professors were helped by a few extra hours to study? What about all the people they have helped? The problems we choose to solve can have a profound ripple effect. I didn't do what I did for recognition. There are other things that I did that were more visible. But when I graduated from Yale, I was awarded the Roosevelt M. Thompson Prize, Yale's undergraduate award for commitment to serving the Yale community. The recognition still humbles me. I wasn't the smartest kid, but I was admitted because I'd make a difference. Until now, few people knew that story. The story itself isn't that important. But it does capture how I think. This storytelling has helped me identify my purpose – community impact. Community is about people. I'm a person with a heart for people.