By Brittany Mitchell/reporter
For the last TR Leadership eXperience Summit of the semester Nov. 21, a Comanche educator helped students learn about Native American history and culture.
“I’m willing to be a problem-solver,” said Juanita Pahdopony during her Accidental Leadership presentation. “I’m willing to help. Sometimes if you’re one of these people, you’ll find yourself in a position of leadership.”
Pahdopony’s main focus was on great Comanche leaders of the past, like chief Quanah Parker and teacher Weckeah Roberta Bradley, the first-known Comanche woman to serve in the U.S. military and Pahdopony’s mentor.
“I think everyone should have a teacher, always have a mentor and someone you look up to,” she said.
In regard to present-day leadership, she spoke about Wallace Coffey, who has served five three-year terms as Comanche Nation chairman.
Pahdopony said Lindsey Early, an intern for Coffey, is a representative of the future. Early was asked by Coffey to get the ball rolling on more Comanche-based living and learning centers. She ended up assisting and overseeing the development of a living center.
“The Comanche Nation wanted to recognize the elders, and we wanted to have an assisted learning center or nursing home,” Pahdopony said.
The seminar broke up into three workshops: Leadership and Volunteerism led by Pahdopony, The Importance of Mentorship led by Tara Lawrence and Can You Hear Me Now? led by Dominique Spencer, which focused on communication skills.
“These events have been happening at TR since the day that we opened,” said Stevie Blakely, leadership development center coordinator. “We do several of these a semester, and for me it’s a great time for students who can’t necessarily come to all the leadership events we have.”
TR president Tahita Fulkerson considers the summits a highlight of the semester.
“We can sit with students who are coming because they want to grow,” she said. “They want to see themselves as leaders and learn how to be leaders.”
