By: Sammy Ghazli
A few minutes before giving his speech to the whole upper school for Upper School’s daily ritual of Morning Meeting, Brandon Liu, the student government president, closes his eyes in prayer to loosen his nerves before his big speech. Brandon Liu is known around Tower Hill for his cheerful and thoughtful disposition as well as his many leadership roles, most notably his position as student body president. However, many people around Tower Hill are not familiar with Brandon’s close relationship with Jesus Christ and how it influences and defines his character.
From a young age, Brandon’s faith has been a compass in his identity. Growing up as a Christian, he learned the values of patience and respect especially when conversing with others who hold different opinions from him. “My faith inspires me to love and respect people who disagree with me or live different lifestyles,” Brandon explains. When considering disagreements or understanding diverse perspectives, Brandon’s philosophy is grounded in Jesus’s teachings of respect and love.
Brandon perceives his leadership of the student government as an opportunity to live by the humility referenced in Philippians 2: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” The newly elected president looks to listen and learn first before speaking by receiving input from a diverse group of peers such as students, grade level representatives, and faculty before pushing ideas to advance the school to administrators.
For Brandon, leadership is centered around service to others in the community and should strive to resemble Jesus’s servant leadership: “Jesus hung out with people society exiled,” the president remarked. “He was compassionate to the unheard and unseen, and that’s what I try to do as a leader.”
Daniel Liu, a close friend of Brandon for many years, has always seen Brandon as an ear to listen to or someone to lean on. “Whenever I needed someone to talk to about something bothering me, Brandon was always there to listen,” Daniel revealed. “Also when I first started my journey of self improvement, Brandon was the first person to help and support me by giving me spots or tips during workouts to convince me to continue hitting the gym when I had low self-esteem in the beginning.”
As a senior, Brandon doesn’t view his faith, academics, and leadership as something he needs to balance but as something that is interconnected.“When I’m doing devotionals or praying, I often ask for wisdom in leadership and open-mindedness in academics.” His relationship with Jesus acts as a stabilizing force that aids him in managing the difficult pressures that come along with being a top student, athlete, and student government president. Whether it’s studying for exams or fulfilling the responsibilities of president, Brandon still returns to prayer and reflection to clear his mind.
He’s also found that his connection to Christ has helped him stay composed in Tower Hill’s often competitive and grade centered environment. One of his favorite verses from the Bible, Ephesians 2:8-10 helps him from keeping academic pressures at bay: "For by grace you have been saved through faith... not a result of works, so that no one may boast." This verse reminds Brandon that he doesn’t need to achieve perfection to find worth in the eyes of God. “It’s a comfort when I feel like I need to hit certain grades or goals,” he says. "This verse reassures me that my value is found in my faith, not in achievements." In an era where many high school students commonly place their self worth and happiness on their grades and extracurriculars, this serves as a refreshing and healthy outlook on high school academics and the wellbeing of students.
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