The recipient of this year’s Undergraduate Scholarship, William Grieme, has been described by his 
professor as a person who “intuitively” lives The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the program offered by the SNVC Institute. The ultimate compliment to a leader may be when leadership skills are noticed by others.
One of his references aligned William’s skills to each of the 7 Habits that are covered in the training. His comments include:
Habit 1: Be Proactive. William had the goal to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout from the beginning of joining The Boy Scouts. His proactive actions allowed him to achieve this goal, which approximately only 4% of scouts nationwide achieve.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind. William always began with the end in mind with setting goals in each leadership position along with having measurable results. He was thorough in planning and/or conducting activities and service projects.
Habit 3: Put First Things First. By setting goals and achieving results, William was recognized by his peers. He was elected by his peers to become a member in Order of the Arrow, the Scouting National Honor Society. He earned a Brotherhood member and served as a Chapter Elections Team member.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win. With a positive attitude William worked as a strong team member and was considered to be a person who could always be trusted to do what is right. While working on personal goals, he actively supported and encouraged fellow scouts to achieve their goals, attending and participating in their projects.
Habit 5: Seek 1st to Understand, Then to be Understood. Scout leaders noted William’s ability to understand this concept and utilize this skill when working with fellow scouts and others when planning service projects. This skill helped him be an effective Patrol Leader and a Troop Quartermaster.
Habit 6: Synergy. To organize his Eagle Scout Service Project, working with others and having all parties understand the intended outcome and individual roles took a team effort. The project included improving an elementary school courtyard, repairing a weather station and building brick and wood plant enclosures. William needed to fully understand the school’s desire and then communicate this clearly to his team. The project took three Saturdays and over 293 service hours to complete. He has been active in other community projects as well, including serving as a weekly volunteer at FACES in Farmville.
Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw. William balances the above, emotionally and spiritually, through involvement with his church. At Longwood he has served as Secretary of the Sports Club Council, President of the Club Wrestling Team, member of the CBE’s Dean’s Student Advisory Board, and member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.