No doubt about it, life has gotten weird, scary even. Those of you who have been affected by this crisis, please know that my heart is extended out to you. For the rest of us, this crisis provides opportunity. Take it!

In smaller departments, I imagine students get used to their role and can be roped in by the status quo. If you are the B student, you may up a little up or down a little, but you usually fit into the B student range. If you are a struggling student. You tend to struggle. You ultimately may decide one day that you are going to work hard to become an A student, but that doesn’t come overnight. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to climb the ladder against your peers.

The same goes for faculty members. I think I have been working in my department forever, eight years! Then I remember that a few of my peers have been in the same department in the same role for over 50 years. Roles get defined.

Regardless of who you are and where you are, it’s easy to get trapped in the status quo. It’s very hard to innovate out of that. And then comes a crisis! That’s your moment! Whatever you think about Eminem, he gets it right in this song.

When crisis comes, LEAD! Lose yourself in the moment. Find a way you can help. Then fire yourself like a canon at the problem you want to fix. Give everything!

In a crisis all the rules change. You get to be part of writing the *new* rules. Refine the rules so they work in your favor. If you stay silent and do nothing, other people will write the rules for you.

There is opportunity everywhere! Take It!