The stuff of heroes

My mother and Mr. Rogers

Heroes--hmm, maybe it's part of being 49, but the idea is off-putting. I've always seen heroes as larger than life, powerful warriors, someone who can save me from evil ("My hero!")--or as sandwiches.

Kathleen Gilbert   Photo by Heather Hill

Now, if you want to know about people I respect and admire tremendously and aspire to be like, I can answer with: my late mother; Mr. Rogers; a colleague who writes with incredible grace and insight and approaches the study of grief as a spiritual journey; and a student of mine struggling with cancer as she worked, painfully, to complete her degree.

None flashy, but they've enriched my life and knowing or knowing of them has made me a better person.

Kathleen Gilbert, applied health science
School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (IUB)

Mary Schroeder

Heroic inspiration

I don't have heroes, but I do have an inspiration I've drawn upon from time. One sunny day when I was feeling particularly challenged by my own constraints, both real and self-imposed, I glanced out the window to see a man riding a bicycle with his head held high and a bright smile across his face. He looked so confident and natural that I almost didn't notice that he was missing one leg below the knee. That man has inspired me on many occasions to find the joy in every challenge. If, by any chance, he's reading this, thank you, sir!"

Mary Schroeder
assistant director, Office of Financial Aid (IUB)

Michael Daubs Photo by Heather Hill Martin Luther King Jr Sen. Evan Bayh

Evan Bayh and Martin Luther King Jr. A hero is someone who does something for the general good of others without concerning him/herself with personal interests or safety. A hero can be a great thinker, politician or spiritual leader. A hero is more than brave, more than generous, more than charitable, more than modest, more than honorable, and more than a role model, yet consists of all these traits. It's a very hard term to describe, really. Naming a hero is even more difficult because it feels like there's a lack of heroes today. But that's just cynicism shining through. I consider Evan Bayh a hero. I've met him a few times, and I think he truly cares about his constituents. In listening to him speak with various groups, I find it admirable that he listens to concerns and opinions, then tries to make things better. I also consider Martin Luther King Jr. a hero. This is a standard answer, and I've even been mocked because I'm a caucasian who claims him as a hero. But King was a man who, despite obvious threats to his life, stood up for his rights and the rights of millions. He died trying to educate the ignorant and rectify wrongs not by inspiring riots, but by speaking, teaching, listening and debating. Michael S. Daubs UITS, part-time student (IUB)

Justice, love and courage

José Rosario

What is a hero? I'm not certain I know the answer to this question. The more I think about it, the less I think I know! Yet I'm certain of one thing--a hero is not what we have been led to believe. A hero is less divine than we would like to think, and more populist than we have been taught to believe. I also know there is a sense of justice, love and courage if the idea of my mother's example is any indication. My mother is my hero because she struggled against difficult odds to care and provide for her family. She was determined to ensure that her children had a life better than hers, and she succeeded.

José R. Rosario

director, Center for Urban and Multicultural Education, School of Education (IUPUI)

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