Steve Handy, '10
Activist student takes reins of student government
November 5, 2009
Once Steve Handy gets interested in something, he commits and gives his all. Take horses, for instance. His family has had horses since he was three or four years old. His sister worked on a Girl Scout badge on horses and at age five he “decided I had enough with just watching so I started taking riding lessons. I rode until I was 13 or 14 when I started driving, and am still very active.” He continues to drive and compete and has also worked as a correspondent for The Saddle Horse Report during the summers.
He had a similar experience at Richmond. When he enrolled, he had no idea about a major.
“I decided against a pre-med route, so I decided to take a wide breadth of classes. I was drawn to the Jepson School after taking Foundations with prof. Karen Zivi, I found the topics fascinating and knew that leadership studies was the right path for me. Looking back, I am so glad that I chose this major because I have enjoyed virtually all of my classes and have had great interaction with faculty members. I also think that it will prepare me well for the future.”
Handy was elected this spring semester as president of the Jepson Student Government Association. He will serve 2009–10.
That service to the school adds to a portfolio of activities that has always included community service. He is a person who has made volunteering and giving back to his community a part of his everyday life.
From a young age, Handy learned that community service was an important part of one’s life. “My parents taught me that it is important to give back to your community," he said, "so they stressed they importance of community service.” Even while growing up and facing certain requirements, such as “doing 80 hours of service to graduate high school,” Handy never had an issue with giving back. In fact, it was something he has enjoyed and has followed him throughout his life thus far.
Growing up, Handy worked at food pantries and helped to organize his hometown’s Labor Day parade. Being a Jepson student gave him the opportunity to participate in the 150 Days in a Lifetime of Service Campaign, a chance that he could not let pass by. “Having done so much volunteering in the past, I felt that I should give back to the Richmond community.” His service was at a local school. “I started volunteering at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School through Build-It during the second semester of my freshman year and knew that it would be a great way to contribute to the 150 Days Campaign.
“Overby-Sheppard is in a very underprivileged area in Richmond and I see a lot of the injustices we discussed in ‘Justice and Civil Society’ class. I also find that much of what we learned in Group Dynamics applies to how the children work together, and how I can motivate them to accomplish goals.” Handy was not only able to help the teachers by working with students, but he said he hoped he had been a positive role model for the students he worked with. He encouraged other students to augment their traditional college experience with service in the community. “I would encourage others that they hardest part about participating in service projects is starting and putting the effort to find a site that you want to work with. Once that is over the rest is easy.”
What is ahead for Handy?
“As President of JSGA, I will continue other past presidents’ great work. I also am planning to re-establish a series of leadership lunches, where we invite student leaders from the university community as well as the people from Greater Richmond area to discuss various challenges that leaders face. I hope that these events will pave the way for a Jepson-sponsored student leadership conference.
“Looking toward the future, I hope to work in business consulting. I think that the theories that I have learned in my classes will help me improve businesses and will allow me to be successful in an important field.”
The photo is of Handy competing at the 2009 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show, in Oklahoma City, Okla. He is competing in the Classic Pleasure Driving Division with his horse, Lucky-U. At the 2009 Grand National, they won the World Championship Junior Horse Classic Pleasure Driving and the World Championship Three-Year-Old Futurity Classic Pleasure Driving classes.
Article ID: 12
