Clarkson University senior Mechanical Engineering student Adam Bauerle can talk all day about Silver Wings, but his service to the organization speaks for itself.
Bauerle is preparing to attend his first Executive Board in Washington D.C. as Silver Wings’ Region 1 President, a position that oversees Silver Wings chapters in the Northeast.
Silver Wings is a national, co-ed, professional organization dedicated to creating proactive, knowledgeable, and effective civic leaders through community service and education about national defense. It is made up largely of civilians interested in personal development, leadership, service, and support of military personnel. Silver Wings is a sister organization of the Arnold Air Society, which is comprised of United States Air Force cadets.
Clarkson’s Silver Wings chapter carries more than a dozen active members, and Bauerle has been leading the charge in making sure Clarkson is a leader in the region.
“Representation is important to me. If you are wearing a shirt that says your company name, wear it proudly and just do great things with it on, represent the best way that you can,” Bauerle said. “I love representing Clarkson.”
While Silver Wings is an organization dedicated to supporting the Air Force, Bauerle said he has taken advantage of countless networking opportunities through Silver Wings and has also gained valuable leadership skills.
“I have learned a lot of things about how to teach leadership, which can be hard for leaders to do,” Bauerle said. “Teaching leadership is much harder than just leading and now that I know how I’m excited to share what I have learned at our upcoming meetings.”
This year, the Silver Wings Board will create a roadmap critical to supporting its nationwide service priorities. Members will attend major keynote addresses by the Secretary of the Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and dozens of other high-level civilian and military leaders. In addition, students like Bauerle will personally engage in discussions on leadership and the challenges they will face in the future, with senior members of the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the Air Force.
The Clarkson Silver Wings Chapter has had a profound impact on Bauerle, providing endless support in his endeavors with the organization. He said much of the credit for his rise in Silver Wings is due to the help of his board members at Clarkson.
Bauerle encourages student from Clarkson, St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam to get involved in Silver Wings at Clarkson. For more information on Silver Wings or to get involved at Clarkson, contact Bauerle at via email at bauerlad@clarkson.edu or by phone at 607-316-6665, or Brianna Murphy at murphybl@clarkson.edu or (585) 297-7757.