It is a sad day when anyone passes away, but a very sad day when that loss of life is a young person due to senseless violence. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University basketball player Wayde Sims was fatally shot during a fight not far from campus, only hours before the first official practice of the season. 
Though details and the suspect are still unknown, what is known is that a family lost their son, a team lost their teammate, and many lives will be forever changed because of something that did not have to happen. The entire student athlete world is touched by this and mourns the passing of Sims. Senseless acts like these touch us all because such a random act could happen to any team, and we deeply feel the sorrow of the LSU family. Teammates become family, and in the days, weeks, and years to come, this LSU family will deal with the loss of not just a teammate, but a friend.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Wayde Sims and his LSU teammates, coaches, and friends. Our hearts are with you in this time of grief.
Service is Essential. To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected.
Being a professor allows me to share what knowledge I have with others. It is also an opportunity for me to continue to learn because I firmly believe that by teaching we better understand what we are teaching and we also learn from those we teach.
I connect with people. Whether large or small, the power in speaking is being able to connect. We are more alike than we are different, and as a public speaker I look to tap into that connection.