Joe Gerig

I began my journey with the iBELIEVE Foundation in the summer of 2014 with my Senior High 1 workshop at Wright State University. When I walked through the doors on day 1, I had no idea the impact this organization would have on my life over the next 4 years and beyond. The Senior High 1 program taught me to believe in myself and lead with empathy. My next summer in Senior High 2 taught me how to work through challenging situations while maintaining the spirit and drive of those on a team. In my final summer as a delegate, Senior High 3 taught me how to combine those skills and prepare to apply them real world situations. However, my favorite time with iB was the summer of 2017 when I was able to staff 3 Senior High 1 workshops. Through this experience, I learned so much about myself as a leader and as a human. It showed me my strengths and weaknesses and allowed me to give back to the organization as well as to the Appalachian Region.

Being a part of iBELIEVE gave me confidence in myself when I moved to the Washington, DC region to pursue my undergraduate degree. iB also gave me a new appreciation of what it means to be Appalachian and live a life of leadership and service. This has pushed me to pursue a master’s degree and find my passion and career in the passenger railroad industry. Long term, I hope to work in transit operations/planning in the hope I can improve rural America’s access to transportation and the opportunities it can unlock.

Because of iBELIEVE, I have developed my mindset as a servant leader. I have gained confidence in my skills and abilities while also learning how to look critically at my own actions. It is impossible to overstate the impact this organization has had on my life and I could not be more grateful for my experiences with iB!