Photo courtesy of the Office of Publications
The Lee Clarion sat down with Mike Hayes, vice president for Student Development, to discuss his time at Lee and what he plans to do next.
What is your most memorable experience at Lee?
When I was a Freshman, I was a part of playing the 100-hour softball marathon with Alpha Gamma Chi to raise money for March For Dimes. That was such a defining experience for me about learning to push beyond my limitations and actually do that for other people. For me, that was absolutely life-defining as an 18-year-old guy.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned in your leadership role that you will remember forever?
It’s to see everyone having been created in the image of God, and not just seeing people from that perspective, but actually dealing with them with that in mind. One of the driving questions that I try to ask myself and ask other people is “What does the image of God deserve?” That’s really critical.
What’s a memory at Lee that always makes you laugh?
It didn’t crack me up in the moment, but my wife and I, when we were dating, she was playing in an intramural softball game for Sigma. She was playing the outfield. She totally missed the ball and tried to catch it with her face. We get a kick out of that all the time.
What’s next for you?
I will be assuming the role as Head of School at Worthington Christian School in Ohio. That’s where I’ll start on July 5, right after we finish Summer Honors on July 1.
Is this new role something that you’ve always wanted to do?
It’s actually something that I thought about before. There are several people in my life, friends and mentors, who have raised this option many times with me, and I’ve just never pursued it. This is actually something that came about as a result of someone referring [me]. My wife and I prayed about it, and we felt an openness to something like this like we’ve never felt before.
What helped you decide it was time for a new season?
Prayer. I don’t mean that in a superficial way, but definitely seeking the Lord and making sure we’re doing what He is calling us to do and trying to be obedient. For both of us, this is probably the last thing that we’ll do professionally, so we wanted to ask the Lord “How would He like for us to ride off into the sunset?”
What is the legacy you want to leave behind for future students?
I really do hope that they embrace the idea that they were created in the image of God. I hope that makes a difference to them. I think students are going through this difficult phase of a lot of self-degradation. I think if we truly believe that God created us in His image, then that should really matter in terms of how we see ourselves. Also, I hope that it impacts the way that they see other people. If I had to boil it down to one phrase, it would be just helping students know they matter.
Advice for the next Vice President for Student Development?
Love students.
Will you visit Lee?
Most definitely. We love Lee, and we love Cleveland. We have a lot of friends and family still in the area, and we look forward to staying connected.
Any last words you want to share?
It has been an honor for 27 years. I want to make sure students, past and present, understand that they had a profound impact on me and my family. So I simply want to say thanks to the students and also to the many staff members that I’ve worked with over the years. How enriching they’ve made my experience and my life, and how transformative those relationships have been.
