End of semester

As another semester ends and new year is abut to begin, I just want to say how proud I am for all of the outstanding hard work that the LTI staff has shown. From training mentors, to raising funds, and building a tighter LTI community, in one way or another everyone on the LTI staff has demonstrated how much they care about LTI and what they are willing to do to further advance it. As I think about all of the great things that we have accomplished this semester, I am reminded of the what a retired engineer said to me on the train as I was traveling home for the holidays. Essentially, that passenger told me that "life is what you make it, you get out of it what you put into it." After applying this quote to what I have seen so far from the LTI staff, I can tell that 2010 will be a great year for the LTI community.

Happy Holidays from your Public Relations Chair

Walter Anazonwu

Diversity

As the Expansion Committee is getting closer to making its trip to China and Brazil this IAP, I can't help but be appreciative of the diverse community that makes up MIT's student body. From the international students that come from so many different countries to the different American students that represent different ethnic groups in this country, MIT seems to be a "model UN." However, this diversity isn't found in every college and often I take for granted how beneficial this diversity is and how it has impacted my life. This diversity has not only helped me become appreciative of other cultures, it has also helped me become more appreciative of my own heritage (through the similarities and differences that I find in the cultures of my classmates). Likewise, when I look at the LTI staff and the students that make up each year's class, I can't help but be impressed as to how diverse this organization is. As a result, I feel that the students of each LTI class (in addition to learning about leadership and community service) get to experience some of the benefits of cultural diversity that I have experience here on MIT. Additionally, I am so excited about the upcoming expansion trips to China and Brazil because I know that these trips will not only help expand LTI worldwide, but these trips will also expose these students in China and Brazil to the diverse culture found within the LTI community.

Your Public Relations Chair,

Walter Anazonwu