TJ Blake will surely change the world one day. Any time spent with TJ will confirm this idea for sure. There’s something about his passion, his excitement for the future, the way his eyes glow when he’s truly devoted to something that makes him seem invincible. As a journalism and political science major, TJ is committed to standing up for those who deserve it most. With his extracurricular time, TJ is committed to his position on Student Senate, Student Union Activities work, University Events Committee, Alterative Breaks, the Honors Program and Hawks Helping Hawks. To top it all off, TJ also interns and works at the Kansas Union as an Event Services Coordinator. If there’s one thing that TJ is truly passionate about, it’s making sure the student voice is heard on the present issues facing administration. It’s as if TJ believes in a brighter future, and in changes and steps that individuals can take personally to unite the world in its ultimate capability.
Sitting with TJ, it’s hard not to smile. His energy is electric. His sincere enthusiasm seems to vibrate off of him, electrifying anything in its wake. Interestingly enough, KU wasn’t originally TJ’s first choice for a school. He had always had big aspirations of going to a large school, far away with completely unmapped territory. However, as soon as he stepped onto KU’s campus, TJ knew, what he maybe knew all along, that there’s really no place like home. TJ found himself loving everything about KU: the atmosphere, the energy, and most importantly, the people. These are the people who TJ wants to help, the people who make it all worth it, all the business, all the craziness, all for the chance to help someone, truly help someone.
Because TJ is so zealous about so many things, it seemed as if it would be difficult for him to pick just one. But within seconds it was clear, there was only one thing that outweighed them all, one thing that kept TJ grounded and honest and diligent. There was only one thing that truly made TJ… TJ. This exceptional thing was his family. No matter where he goes or what he does, TJ knows his family will always be right behind him. According to TJ, they’re supportive and caring and perfect in the ways they make him laugh, like no one else really can. When he goes to law school, he knows they’ll be there to give him hugs. When he graduates, he knows they’ll cheer louder than anyone else in the crowd. Maybe it’s this love, this certainty that keeps TJ so grounded, so honest, and ultimately, so awe-inspiring.
When prompted to share his biggest piece of advice, TJ couldn’t help but say with a laugh, “Don’t dress up for class.” He followed up that golden nugget with some honest feedback. TJ said openly, “Set a list of personal goals for yourself. Have a list of things you personally want to accomplish, and set out to do just that.” For TJ, each time he crosses one of those goals off his checklist, he’s able to reflect on how he’s a bigger person, a better person for setting out to do something and seeing it through. No matter the goal, no matter the spectrum, for TJ, it’s all about finding those things you want most life and working towards them, diligently, whole-heartedly until they’re accomplished. For TJ, personal growth can be one of the biggest rewards, as it dares the individual to do, and maybe most importantly of all, it dares the individual to dream, as they had scarcely dreamed before.
At his core, TJ is a person, like most others, exceptional in the fact that he takes nothing for granted and believes in people with the willingness and honesty that truly encourages them to believe in themselves. TJ is a brother in the ATO fraternity. He’s a leader for Hawks Helping Hawks, a philanthropic group all about students helping students raise money for those important things in life. TJ believes that every student, every individual should receive the kind of education they so rightfully deserve, regardless of their financial situation. The truly exceptional thing about TJ is that he’s so perfectly grounded, so down-to-earth. He’s not afraid or ashamed to admit that he loves Orange is the New Black and Vampire Diaries and that he spends A LOT of time working on his SnapChat stories. He’s not afraid to admit that sometimes he doesn’t know what he’s doing, and sometimes he just needs a good laugh. TJ Blake is remarkable, truly remarkable in the way he takes an idea, a thought, a concept and makes it reality. He’s remarkable in the way he encourages others to do the same. He’s remarkable in his ability to lead and follow, simultaneously, for the benefit of the group. He is remarkable, truly remarkable, in the fact that he will, without a doubt, one day, change the world for the better.