Interacting with Love and Compassion
Article by Aspen Wooley | Photo by Grace Heaton
Andrew Rosenbalm, an Honors student and the president of BYU’s Middle Eastern Studies/Arabic Student Association (MESAS), seeks to connect with others and lead with compassion. Recently, I met with Andrew to talk about his Honors Leadership Development Experience working with MESAS, an association that provides belonging to bless the lives of BYU students.
Andrew is studying Middle Eastern studies, with minors in international cinema and filmmaking. His family moved around often as he grew up, including spending time living in Kuwait. This is not his only personal tie to the Middle East, though. His grandmother immigrated from the West Bank in Palestine to the U.S., and Andrew says she is his biggest inspiration. “She is the epitome of endless love despite many trials…That love and genuine interest in other people is what I aspire to develop,” he shares. Leading opens the way for him to make an impact like this for others.
For Andrew, being a leader means acting in love and gently guiding people. The professors who have mentored him demonstrate this kind of leadership. Professors Josh Gubler and David Romney lead with gentleness, something Andrew says reminds him of the Savior. Jesus Christ led with deep care for those He had stewardship over. Truly caring for others is crucial to making a lasting impact as a leader. Andrew explains that true leadership means “interacting with love and compassion with other people in a way that makes them want to be at peace with themselves and their growth and inspires them to dream about who they could be.” A real leader shows those they lead their potential for greatness.
Andrew is learning what this really takes and how to implement these practices. In his role as the president of MESAS, he’s had the opportunity to lead in carrying out various events. One recent event he helped organize was BYU’s annual Ramadan Iftar meal. Though BYU hosts the meal just one evening each year, for observers of Ramadan this meal occurs after sundown every day during Ramadan to mark the end of the daily fasting period. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by fasting from dawn to dusk every day. This fasting includes abstaining from food or drink, but goes beyond physical acts. This observance also includes withholding from anger, focusing on worship, and deepening charity. This event welcomes BYU students, as well as the broader community, including both Muslim and non-Muslim participants. Those who attended BYU’s annual event this year joined together in Salat al-Maghrib, the prayer said before ending the day’s fast. Worshipping together strengthened unity, Andrew noted. Coming together to eat and experiencing the love of community provided a beautiful moment that allowed for deepening bonds of understanding.
Andrew’s excitement at building a community and offering belonging for other students motivates him to continue to organize events. This attitude is what led him to his current leadership role. In reflecting on what drives him, he shared, “[Building] a community of trust, a community of friendship...that opportunity for community building is what is interesting to me.” He’s walking the path to becoming like the empathetic leaders he looks up to. Providing opportunities like these events to gather and learn opens the door for invaluable connection and knowledge.
At first, Andrew wasn’t sure if college would include more than logical learning. But as he has continued to grow, he has recognized that there can be an emotional element as well. Discovering that you can “combine emotion and logic in studies is very exciting to me,” Andrew shared. “It is a much more expansive way of thinking…You can look at things from many different perspectives and…[use] tools of studying people and places.” This interdisciplinary approach facilitates effective leadership. Being part of the Honors Program has reinforced this type of learning and joy of discovery for him.
By leading and being part of MESAS, Andrew is seeing how he can use his major and experience to make an impact. Meeting alumni and others has shown him that there are many ways to bless people’s lives. Reflecting on those he’s met, he said, “Talking with these people and working with them has led me to realize that there are endless possibilities with his Middle Eastern Studies major.” By being part of this field of study and MESAS his world is expanding.
While MESAS has been a wonderful experience for Andrew, it is not limited to those in his same discipline. Andrew’s message to everyone is that they are welcome: “Come enjoy a vibrant community!”