SLU Alumnus Stresses 'The Power of One'

Nearly 600 Saint Louis University faculty and staff came out to hear alumnus John O’Leary (Cook '99) share his inspirational message during two speaker events held on Sept. 26.

The event was sponsored by Human Resources and the Cura program.

“John’s inspirational message of hope, gratitude and mission-driven purpose resonates with the ongoing evolution of our University as we celebrate our 200-year legacy and think about opportunities to build upon that legacy in the service of our students, patients, colleagues and society as a whole,” said Mickey Luna, vice president of human resources. “It was very powerful to see how our community connected to John’s message.”

O'Leary  spoke with participants for almost two hours after the event, which was held Center for Global Citizenship. Many said they found inspiration from his speech.

“John's reminder that the work we do every day at this University and hospital makes a difference in the lives of others was the most powerful piece for me," said Tonya Vernon, from the Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology. "I plan to try and be more attentive to the needs of others in my division to figure out how I can best support them and help our team be successful in all of our tasks at hand."

The SLU community is encouraged to continue to discuss O’Leary’s message through the event’s reflection guide, which includes discussion activities and educational resources related to the event’s themes.

“John's message empowered me, as an individual, to identify ways that I can make a difference in my world, my workplace, my surroundings," said Elizabeth Rhyne, pediatric nurse. "It starts with one. Being 'on fire' can motivate not only myself, but others to make a positive impact on society.”

O’Leary was asked to speak as part of the Cura program’s ongoing efforts to support a positive work culture. Cura is a grassroots effort created in response to input from SLU's faculty and staff members. It aims to empower and support all members of the SLU community in building and sustaining a positive workplace culture in support of the University’s mission.

"The University will continue to demonstrate its commitment to a positive work environment by offering meaningful development opportunities to the community,” Luna shared as he announced that this fall and spring Human Resources will provide training to all supervisors on leading with meaningful feedback and appreciation. More details about the training will be announced in the Human Resources Bulletin.

For more information about O’Leary, read the SLU profile that appeared in Universitas.