It’s not everyday that SMU students have the opportunity to hang out with Gov. Rick Perry. But last Friday, 21 student leaders and two advisors traveled to Austin where they met with state leaders and became the only student organization to be recognized for leadership programming by the Texas State Legislature.

“I felt that the encouragement we received from all speakers, especially Gov. Perry and State Rep. Dan Branch, helped students realize that working hard and pursuing your passions will pay off in the end,” said Kim DeBlance, president of Leadership Consultant Council and a sophomore psychology and business major.

Executive officers in LCC, Program Council, Student Foundation and Student Senate made up the group that toured the capital. They spoke with SMU alumni and met various Texas leaders such as Texas Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson and Lt. Governor Dewhurst. They grew as a group, said Jim Barber, coordinator of student activities and fraternity programs at SMU and advisor to LCC.

The high point of the day for Barber and other students was the personal time spent with Gov. Perry.

“He spent about 25 minutes speaking with SMU students about current events, the war in Iraq and plans for establishing democracy there,” Barber said. “It was an extremely rare opportunity to have a conversation with one of our top elected leaders about world events.”

LCC promotes leadership through four programs: Crain Leadership Conference, John Ben Sheppard Leadership Conference, Emerging Leaders and Consultant Service.

The Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution that “recognized [LCC] as one of the best student leadership development organizations in the nation.” It also acknowledged the organization’s contribution to “a brighter and more promising future for all Texans.”

“It was a huge honor that the State Legislature would take the time to recognize us,” LCC Vice President of Programming Alana Kalantzakis said. “It distinguishes us from other leadership groups across the country.”

The trip was not the first of its kind for LCC; they took a similar trip two years ago. The first trip to Austin was a huge success and received positive feedback, Barber said.

The students came back to Dallas with a new perspective on their campus leadership roles, Katie Bibb, a sophomore psychology major, said.

“We learned how we just might move from being leaders of our school to leaders of our state and beyond,” she said.