Winston Ambassador Program
The Winston Center had a great fall semester. The most notable speaker of the semester was David McCullough, author, historian, and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize. The McCullough event was a great representation of what the Winston Center has stood for over the last decade, as it engaged the Boston College community in intellectual discussion and challenged us all to be the ethical leaders of tomorrow. The Winston Center Ambassador Program not only lets students meet each guest speaker, it also promotes a community of leaders who are shaped by events and each other. This year many of us had the privilege of spending a few Friday mornings at St. Francis House, sharing breakfast with people and getting to know each other a little better in the process. Then speakers like Mayor Michael Tubbs and Jacqueline Novagratz allowed us to see what service leadership is like in action. It is truly an honor to be a part of a program that understands leadership as encompassing and exemplifying compassion, empathy, and self-knowledge.
Addison LeBeau '18 and Elisabeth Schaeffer '18, Winston Ambassador Student Directors
Ambassadors have roundtable chat with Mayor Michael Tubbs
At just 26 years old, Michael Tubbs has garnered enough attention to rival some of California’s most established politicians. A rising star in the political arena, Tubbs ascended into the national spotlight when he became the first black mayor of Stockton, California. First elected to Stockton City Council at age 22, Tubbs has been endorsed by Barack Obama, funded by Oprah Winfrey, and titled the youngest mayor of any large American city. But before this young man from Stockton became the leader of his hometown, he was a young, eclectic college student at Stanford University. “I was throwing darts at the wall and seeing which ones would stick,” Tubbs told a room full of Winston Center Ambassadors. As is now apparent, Tubbs certainly found the darts that stuck—and was able to offer the ambassadors a valuable perspective on civic and moral duties alike.
Not too far removed from his college years, Tubbs and the ambassadors share a place in the younger generation. It’s a demographic that has been vastly underrepresented in politics, but Tubbs doesn’t see this as a disadvantage. Instead, the young mayor owns his age with fervor, telling the ambassadors that it has made him more likable amongst his constituents. People were willing to give him a shot, Tubbs said, and were pleasantly surprised when he exceeded their expectations of a young politician. Age, however, wasn’t the only factor that made him more successful. Though it can be easy to succumb to partisan pressures, Tubbs explained how listening to all his constituents has proven to be a winning strategy. “The best way to influence people is to understand people,” he expressed. Amicable, attentive, and empathetic, a young Michael Tubbs is determined to make an impact.
Colin Martin '20, Winston Ambassador