Tillman Scholars - Leadership Through Action™ Program

Michael Barney
Junior, Finance
Hometown: Plano, Texas/Scottsdale, AZ
Email: Michael.Barney@asu.edu
Bio: I am a junior in the W. P. Carey School of Business studying Finance. I am an avid runner who enjoys dabbling in all sports and spending time with my family and friends.  I am involved in a variety of organizations and clubs on campus including Residence Hall Association, Run Devils, Devils’ Advocates, and Delta Sigma Pi (a professional fraternity). I work as a Resident Assistant on campus and have found that I love working with students and helping them find their place in the university. Through my roles as a Student Success Facilitator and a Peer Advisor, I have taken an active role in working with first year students in the business school to welcome them and help them begin their careers in business. I am currently pursing many career options and working to become either a CEO or the president of a university.

Mission Statement: Live, inspire and challenge with passion.

Project: For my project, I worked with Katie Mahoney to create a high school campaign to educate students about who Pat Tillman was and the life he lead, with ultimate goals of inspiring students to participate in Pat’s Run. I am currently working with other scholars on promoting Pat’s Run specifically to ASU and its students, faculty and staff. I feel fortunate to have been able to take my passion for running and use it to promote Pat’s Run for the second year in a row and make my contribution to the Leadership Through Action program.

Liz Bogus
Senior, BIS
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
Email: Elizabeth.bogus@asu.edu
Bio: I am from Salt Lake City Utah. I am a senior majoring in Business and Communication.  I played soccer for four years at ASU. After college I will probably go to grad school, although I am still not sure what I want to get my masters in.

Mission statement: I will live my life with passion. I will give my best effort in all endeavors I pursue. I will set high goals for myself and believe that anything is possible. I will strive  to live my life so I will have no regrets, but I will be gentle with myself and understand that mistakes are inevitable. I will not become consumed by superficial things and remember that what I value most in this world are my relationships with other people. I will not take this life for granted and remember that it could all be gone tomorrow. I will do my best to help others and the world around me. I will gracefully walk away from the things that I may no longer do. I will keep the kid in me alive forever. I will remember that no matter what, it is a beautiful world. I will strive to be happy.

Project proposal: I am interested in working with kids or teens, particularly in self development and awareness issues. 

Uven Chong
Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Email: uven_chong@hotmail.com
Bio: Being from Malaysia, I have a keen interest in diversity. I am not only open to new ideas, but I also view them as a necessary component of success in today's ever-globalized world. This is why my involvement at ASU ranges from studies in astrophysics and mechanical engineering to researching the progression of women's rights in the Middle East. In the near future, I hope to study the physics of black holes at Cambridge University and eventually revolutionize the field.

Mission Statement: I promise myself I will stay true to my values by making a positive change in the world, ensuring that it is a better place when I leave it than when I came into it.

Project Proposal: I believe it is necessary for every undergraduate student to spend at least 1 summer studying abroad in a culture totally different than that of Tempe. However, many study abroad and exchange programs cost an exorbitant amount of money and are therefore limited to only those who can afford them. Furthermore, many programs fill up very quickly, thus severely limiting even those who can afford to go on these trips. Therefore, I propose to set up an inexpensive exchange program with the Tempe Sister Cities Program geared specifically to send as many ASU undergraduates abroad for as cheap as possible.

Chad Christensen
Graduate, Marketing
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Email: chad.christensen@asu.edu
Bio:  Graduate of the W.P. Carey School of Business with a degree in finance, summa cum laude, I also expect to graduate in marketing summa cum laude in May 2005.  I currently have a football scholarship to Arizona State University. 

Mission Statement:  Individual - confront risk with pride project - serving the community around you with what you do best

Project proposal: Working with Grayling, our goal is to turn excess inventory from college athletics and donate them to underprivileged youth involved in sports.

Shannon Conley
Senior/Graduate Student, Political Science/Justice Studies
Wyandotte, MI
Email: ShannonConley33@aol.com
Bio: A native of Michigan, double-majoring in Political Science and Justice & Social Inquiry, in addition to working on my masters degree in political theory, and a certificate in Politics, Philosophy, and Law.  I am currently working on my masters thesis, which consists of researching how voter identification requirements impact Native Americans in Arizona.

Mission Statement: To do what is right, instead of what is simply easy.

Project Proposal: I founded the “Concert to Benefit the Hungry” initiative as a first-semester junior.  Popular local bands and singer-songwriters play at the concert on the ASU campus once a semester in a music-festival format in order to raise student awareness about both local and global poverty.  Via collaboration between numerous campus and community organizations, such as the Barrett Honors College, Residential Life, Campus Crusade, Center Complex Hall Council, the One Campaign, campus Greek organizations, St. Mary’s Foodbank, and many others, we have been able to raise over $1,000 and close to 2,000 lbs. in non-perishable food for St. Mary’s/Westside Foodbank Alliance in Phoenix.  I am excited to say that the concert series has gained community-wide notoriety due to coverage of the most recent one (December 2nd, 2006) by the Arizona Republic.  Our aim is to make the concert bigger and better each time, and we are certainly succeeding.  The most recent concert hosted six musical sets, including talented artists such as Soul Funktion, August People, Zac Casey, Todd Hoover, Tobie Milford, and Ben Horowitz, who performed on a full professional sound system and stage.  In addition to accepting food and cash donations, we sold concert t-shirts that attendees could custom stencil with the concert logo and our mission statement: “change the world” along with other signature slogans such as “music is hope” and “take action/make change.”  The next concert, “The Concert to Benefit the Hungry IV,” is currently being planned for mid-spring semester 2007.      

Vahid Dejwakh
Senior, Economics/Religious Studies
Hometown, Niamey, Niger, West Africa
Email: vdejwakh@asu.edu
Bio: Grew up in Niger, West Africa. Born of a Californian Peace Corps volunteer whose ancestors came to America on the Mayflower, and an Iranian farmer who left Iran because of the government's persecution of the Baha'is. Lived in Maryland for 8 years, attending the University of Maryland for two years, then transferred to Arizona State University fall 2004.

Mission Statement: In this lifetime, I will strive to uphold the high expectations I have of myself. I will live my daily life with compassion, authenticity, love, intellect, and a sense of mission. Every night I will go to sleep knowing that I have done the very best I could for that day, and that tomorrow I will do more. People around me will recognize that I am truly a deep soul and not just a body, and that I am not afraid of their judgments In my own mind, in my own heart, I will know that I have stood for the principles that I cherish, and that I have heeded the calls from my conscience Those who love me will do so with great strength and depth, and those who hate me will still cannot help but to respect me. I will strive to not leave anyone outside of these two categories, for then I will know that I have not made any compromises on who I am, that I have lived with passion every second, and that I have not sold out in order to please people.

Project Proposal: establish an agricultural school in the rural areas of Niger, West Africa

Mackenzie Hopman
Junior, English Literature, French and Political Science
Hometown: Tempe, AZ
Email: mackenzie.hopman@asu.edu
Bio: I am a junior at ASU and a member of the Barrett Honors College.
I am currently majoring in English Literature and French and minoring
in Political Science.  While I am not sure exactly what I want to do
when I graduate, attending graduate school, traveling abroad or
running of president are on the top of my list.  I was born and raised in Tempe, Arizona and I graduated Valedictorian of my class at Tempe High School.  My favorite activities include reading, working out, hiking, nannying, traveling and spending time with family and friends. During the summer of 2005 I studied abroad with Barrett in France for 5 weeks and last summer I studied at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada for 6 weeks.  This upcoming summer I will be studying at Cambridge in the UK and backpacking through Prague, Berlin, Munich and Paris prior to that.  At ASU I am involved in the Leadership Scholarship Program, Honors Devils and Devil's Advocates.  I love ASU and am so proud to be a Sun Devil.  I am opinionated, genuine, driven and adventurous.  I love to meet new people and hear about their life experiences.  Being a part of the LTA family is very important to me because I have an enormous amount of respect for Pat Tillman and the entire LTA community for their hard work and respect for Pat's legacy.

Mission Statement: Throughout my life, I seek to define my personal integrity through service, action and introspection.

Project proposal: Enhance the elementary school learning experience by promoting the importance of self-exploration and personal understanding through an interactive children's book.

Grayling Love
Graduate, Finance
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Email: grayling.love@asu.edu
Bio: A 2004 First Team Academic All-Conference selection and two-time Academic All- Conference Honorable Mention, Love graduated with Cum Laude honors in May of 2005 with a degree in finance.  Currently working towards a masters degree in Higher Education. Love was a First Team All- Conference performer in 2004 and Second Team honoree in 2003. Recipient of the inaugural PAC-10 Sportsmanship Award, he was named ASU Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2004 and ASU’s Most Improved Player in 2003. On the watch list for the Danny Wuerful trophy and finalist for the Draddy award and one of 16 National Scholar Athletes, The president of the ASU Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Love volunteers at summer camps and is a speaker at local high schools about the importance of education.

Mission Statement: Spiritual Discipline, Athletic Dominance, and Commitment to Family

Project Proposal: The project is combined with Chad. We plan on finding a way to help underprivileged kids get started in sports and also eventually help with education and life skills programs.  We plan on working with ASU, Nike, Reebok and other universities in the PAC-10 to start a shoe and equipment donation program for High schools and Junior Highs that are in need.  We will use donations from these places to help kids get started in football that are unable to play sports because of financial issues. Eventually we want to grow to mentoring, tutoring and life skills programs that we can incorporate along with the donation program.

Katie Mahoney
Junior, Secondary Education – English
Hometown: Dublin, CA
Email: Katherine.mahoney@asu.edu
Bio: I was born in Tacoma, Washington but grew up in beautiful Dublin, California. I have one older brother who is in the Marine Corps and one younger brother who is a senior in high school.  My father works in the semiconductor business of Silicon Valley and my mother is a stay-at-home mom. Right now I am planning to be a high school English teacher but I would really like to get a Master's in Counseling or Education Psychology.  I am also a member of the Women's soccer team.

Mission Statement: I will strive to do everything in my life with passion, sincerity, and humility. I will set my goals high and not accept any effort other than my best. I will be compassionate, understanding, and forgiving in my interactions with other people and I will make the relationships in my life a priority. Most importantly, I will live my life with an eternal perspective, valuing the things that I know will last, not what I cannot keep forever.

Project Proposal: My passion is working with high school students and because I am an athlete myself I feel a certain connection with high school athletes.  Michael and I plan to implement a team section to Pat's Run, in addition to working on increasing the number of runners and walkers in the run and sharing Pat's views of leadership and determination with ASU and the community.

Megan Mulcahy
Senior, Management
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Email: meganemulcahy@aol.com
Bio: Originally from Indiana, Megan moved to Scottsdale with her family where she attended Saguaro High School.  At ASU, Megan is currently a senior in the W.P. Carey School of Business, majoring in Business Management with a Minor in Communications, and a Certificate in International Business.  Serving on the Executive Board of Management Students Association for two terms, Megan has also been actively involved in the community, volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at St. Joseph Medical Center and with the Suns Nite Hoops Organization. 

Mission Statement: I, Megan Mulcahy, strive to know and be true to myself.  I will live a life of integrity through the development of my faith and my continuous effort to serve others.  As an instrument of change, I will persist in my path to education and learning.  Through education I will empower those in my community.  I will be a leader and a friend to those in my family, my friends, and my community. 

Project Proposal:  Part of the Pat Tillman Foundation’s Leadership Through Action Program’s mission is to inspire and support others to affect change in themselves and their surrounding community.  I want to help carry out the mission by affecting change within low-income classrooms by providing examples of success through educated professionals.  Classroom presentations by professionals on their education and career paths will expose students to opportunities they might not have been aware of before.  By providing this exposure, the goal is to motivate students to further their education and discover their true passions. 

Bingyu Wang
Senior, Accounting
Hometown: Beijing, China
Email: bingyuwang@gmail.com
Bio: I am “Made In China”, actually is Beijing and came to the U.S. by myself to attend high school in Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, coming to the U.S. has been a life changing event for me and has taught me to be independent, to face problems, to learn what reality is. At the same time, this experience has really opened my mind. Then, I heard about the “SUN DEVILS”. I was so curious about it and wanted to come and see how devil is the sun…so, I have spent four years at ASU to learn. Besides studying about the sun, I have enjoyed being an honor student and majoring in accountancy. 2005-2006 is my last year and I am so grateful that during my college life, I had the chance to learn about Pat Tillman and become a Tillman scholar. The LTA class brings sunshine into my life. I have learned things from the HEART and gained knowledge and skills that will benefit me for the rest of my life.

Mission Statement: I will make every effort to overcome myself, challenge myself and develop myself in my lifetime in order to make the world a better place.  

Project proposal: I consider myself a world citizen; making the world a better place is my goal. I purposed to increase the awareness of Chinese Culture as my project. When I mean culture; I imply not only the long history of China, but also the reality of China at the present time. The tremendous changes in China during the past 20 years cannot be denied, especially those big cities. However, people are likely to forget about those rural areas and those undeveloped areas. People are struggling to survive. I am more concerned about those areas and their children. To develop a program that can assist people in the United States, especially children, to know more about China. Also, to inform others what life looks like for children in China; to present them with the different aspects of life in China; and to teach them ways in which they can reach out to help. SERVE is a key word for me. I hope my program is Special and Effective by conducting it in a Respectful way; and that it will provide Valuable and Essential information for others.