Drew Dutiel

There is nothing I love to talk about more than my experiences with the iBELIEVE Foundation. Nothing gets me more fired up, more energized, more prepared for a wonderful normal and tranquil life than spreading the love, kindness and leadership opportunities that you are surrounded by at workshop. The past 7 years I’ve jumped at every opportunity I can get with this organization because I am ready to give back what they have given to me. 

Whenever I first heard about the iBELIEVE Foundation I was a freshman in high school and was on a completely different mindset than what I have now. I used to believe that your past is what defines you all the good and all the bad. I became trapped in my own thoughts and everyone knows how bad that can be sometimes. My guidance counselor pulled me into her office one day and told me I had this opportunity to go to Wright State University and attend something called an iBELIEVE Workshop. I wish I could say I was super excited and ready to embrace all the new things and new people there, but I was the exact opposite. After attending my first iBELIEVE workshop my life and personality was forever changed. 

iBELIEVE has shown me that being a leader can look different depending on who you are as a person. You don’t always have to be the loudest, strongest or most determined. A leader is a relative term because no matter what you have been through or how you look there is a time and place for the leader in you to shine. Just because you don’t get the recognition or hype as some of the others doesn’t mean you can’t impact people's lives for the better. I used to be terrified of talking to people, being around big groups or even making myself known I was even there. After going through three workshops, four years of staffing, and being surrounded by SO many amazing people I can confidently say I have changed for the better and the things I have done in my life since then have proven it. 

I now go to Morehead State University in Kentucky and can walk down campus and say hi to at least ten people I know along the way. I joined a fraternity and have met some of the best people I'll ever meet. I became an RA and now help freshmen overcome their obstacles and struggles all while helping them feel more comfortable on campus. Instead of having a fixed mindset on all the little things I focus on the bigger picture and try to live my life through servant leadership. My life would not be what it is now if it wasn’t for the iBELIEVE Foundation and all the amazing life long friends I have from it. The lessons and people are my drive, my energy, my motivation to be a better person with each day that I wake up. I’m known at workshop for how much I smile and that is simply because when you’re surrounded by people who only want to build you up, see you succeed and see the best in you there's absolutely no reason to not smile.