Shelbe Rodriguez 00:00
Welcome to the LU moment where we showcase all the great events, activities, programs and people right here at Lamar University. I'm Shelby Rodriguez, Public Affairs Manager here at LSU. And I want to welcome everyone back to this week's show. Now, while we hate to see our Cardinals go, we love to watch them live, right? So I want to send a huge congratulations to our recent Lamar University graduates. I'm talking about the class of 2021.
If you missed our commencement ceremonies that took place on Friday, December 17, or Saturday, December 18. Don't worry, you can still view the ceremony on our Facebook page, just search Lamar University. We also have a few photo albums there for each ceremony. So if you see yourself or a fellow Cardinal, go ahead and tag them. Alright guys. So listen, last week, the Office of Global diversity and inclusive excellence also celebrated our LGBTQ graduates with a luncheon and certificate. And so that luncheon is called V lavender awards. Joining me today on the show is Liu alum and guest speaker for the lavender awards luncheon. Dr. Joshua desperate. Let me tell you just a little bit about Dr. Daspit hold on to your hats. It's pretty impressive.
So Dr. Daspit is an associate professor of management 10 years in my ed at Texas State University. His Ph.D. is in management from the University of North Texas. He is a graduate of Lamar University Class of 2004 and he earned his BS in political science and the University of St. Thomas 2009, MBA in international business. Prior to joining Texas state he served on the faculty at Mississippi State University for several years. Dr. Daspit is an active researcher listen, he has over 40 publications in nearly 100 presentations of his work nationally and internationally. He serves as an associate editor for two top journals in the field of family business and is on the editorial boards of several other academic journals. In addition to his research, teaching and service, he is an active entrepreneur.
He is the founder and CEO of Parco enterprises, which is a certified LGBT be by the national LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. In 2001, he was recognized as one of the top 40 under 40 LGBTQ leaders in the US and Canada as well as student LMR University. His served as student body president was elected Chair of the Texas State University System Student Advisory Board, and was a member of the Honors Program. And so today, he remains involved with LSU in numerous ways, including serving on the real Honors College Alumni Board, and in 2014, he was named one of Lamar University's 40 under 40 alumni, Dr. Daspit, but it is such an honor to have you with me today.
Joshua Daspit 02:43
Shelby, thank you so much. It's an honor to be here. And I think that they must have given you the short version of my bio.
Shelbe Rodriguez 02:53
I think so they gave you a condensed version. I'm kidding, of course. But it is very impressive. Now, I want to ask you, because you were the keynote speaker at the lavender awards luncheon. And you gave a powerful speech on connections, right, since that was the theme making connections and building bridges. But you also touched on representation, especially while you were a student here. And I thought that was very noble and very honest of you to kind of mention that. And so what do you think is the importance of hosting something like the lavender awards luncheon for our LGBTQ student body or allies here on campus?
Joshua Daspit 03:27
Yeah. You know, when I was a student at Lamar, to me, it seems like it was just yesterday, but it was from 2000 to 2004. Yeah. So looking back, that was 20 years ago, 20 years ago. You don't have to emphasize it. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. But yeah, you know, it was a great time at Lamar during that period. But we have to also remember what was happening in the world about that time, you know, 2000 is when I started. And just three years before that is when Ellen DeGeneres, for example, came out on her TV show, right on ABC. And unfortunately, the show was canceled. Not long after that. Yeah. Right before 2000 I think it was 1998. Matthew Shepard, a student, a college student at the University of Wyoming was brutally assaulted and killed. Yeah. Because of his sexual orientation. And it wasn't until 15 years after 2000 Right. 2015 right, that the Supreme Court upheld marriage equality, right. So well. You know, things were great on campus and I had a great experience as a student here at Lamar. It was a different time. Looking back, we've made a lot of progress as a society in terms of equality for members of the LGBT community. You know, I think it's extremely important. And to my point about how times have changed. You know, when I was a student back in 2000 2004, I was not out. I did not have a mentor or role model that was a member of the LGBT community. There wasn't anyone who was, you know, successful that was a member of the community that was open. And that, therefore, I was afraid, right. I was what have you know, what's the repercussion? If I say anything, if I come out? X, Y, and Z.
Shelbe Rodriguez 05:37
Now, I want to make sure our audience knows and I don't want to assume that they know what being out means. Can you briefly explain what does that mean?
Joshua Daspit 05:45
Sure. Yeah, being out of the closet being open, openly gay, in my case, or for wedding for women being lesbian or bisexual? Transgender? Yeah. So on and so forth.
Shelbe Rodriguez 06:01
Yeah. So I know you speak on times have changed since you've been here. Oh, you first of all, how does it feel to be back?
Joshua Daspit 06:08
Oh, it is so great to be back. It is so great to be back. See the great things that are happening on campus? Physically, it's changed. Yeah, they're looking great.
Shelbe Rodriguez 06:18
What's the biggest change that you noticed?
Joshua Daspit 06:20
Well, you know, the, this, this honors building of the administrator, I mean, it's a beautiful facility. And then we've got the CIC building, just across the street. It's a lot of new buildings. Talking with the President this morning, he's got some great ideas about the future of the mall. So it's really an exciting time. And an exciting, not only exciting time, but an honor to be invited back. Right after all this time, if you haven't graduated quite a few years ago, to be invited back to talk to students who were in a position, kind of like I was back then.
Shelbe Rodriguez 07:01
Because you have ever imagined yourself being that individual. Coming back to your alma mater, being that individual that our students are now looking up to, to kind of speak openly and speak motivationally.
Joshua Daspit 07:13
You know, it's it's some, it's something that I wish that I had when I was here. So when I was contacted about doing this said, Absolutely, absolutely. If there's a way that I can give back to students who are like me, yeah, earlier my life and help them and anyway, absolutely, I would be happy to do it and and honored right of all the people that have graduated, I mean, for them to ask me it was a genuine honor.
Shelbe Rodriguez 07:44
Take us back to your journey here at Liu. How was your campus experience? I'm very curious to know, You came like you said times were very different. That was not to emphasize a game 20
Joshua Daspit 07:56
years ago, thanks so much.
Shelbe Rodriguez 07:59
That was 20 years ago, but things have changed, not just a parent. But the way in which we handled things hosting events like this. We had the multicultural graduation celebration, we had the Latin X or the Hispanic graduation celebration. So how was your campus experience during that time?
Joshua Daspit 08:16
It was a great experience for me. I was had the opportunity to serve a student body president during that time. Yeah, I was involved in what was then the Honors Program. And that's what sparked my initial interest in research. And yeah, Professor involved in a number of other organizations and really enjoyed the opportunities that Lamar gave me that I would not have necessarily received and other institutions. You know, I got to know, for example, many of the faculty members, yeah, really well, having sit down conversations in their office about life as a faculty member. Yeah. And kind of the behind the scenes that most students don't see. Yeah, you know, how things work. I mentioned being student body president. As a result of that. I also sat in on some committee meetings like the strategic master planning committee, Long Range Planning Committee for the university. Yes. Where as a student, mind you, you get to see, again, behind the scenes of how the administration is working, and thinking long term about where we want to be in 510 15 years. Yeah. And so it was those experiences that sparked my interest, and looking more and I would never thought I would be an academic or have a Ph.D. I'm a first gen student. And, you know, I thought I would go to college, and then get a job.
Shelbe Rodriguez 09:52
Yeah, just go to college, check off that box and just kind of do the next step
Joshua Daspit 09:55
and then get a job and then later I was thinking about law school. Yeah. And as life has it, because of some of those initial sparks, from my encounters and experiences here at Lamar, I have been fortunate to be in a career that I absolutely love. And I'm so lucky to have a career that I genuinely appreciate. And I'm thankful for every day.
Shelbe Rodriguez 10:25
Yeah, I know you mentioned talking to professor's while you were a student here, it seems like that sort of overall theme of building bridges and making connections kind of started early on for you. And you've kind of kept that going.
Joshua Daspit 10:39
Yeah. And that was the the topic of the talk that I gave at the lavender awards luncheon. It really focused on the importance of building bridges. Yeah, like you said, one of the point that I made was, you know, a lot of times we tell students, especially seniors that are graduating looking for jobs to go out and network, you want to get job, you need to network network network. And that's great. However, we need to be careful about how we define what networking. You know, a lot of individuals think networking is bringing a stack of business cards or resumes go into an event. Yes. handing them out to as many people yeah, as you can. I think, hey, it's a success. Yeah, I've
Shelbe Rodriguez 11:27
done it. 50.
Joshua Daspit 11:29
I've done it, right. Yeah. 100 business cards, and what happens? Not a call, we
Shelbe Rodriguez 11:35
never see those business cards, you wasted your money, you wasted your time, yet you don't call.
Joshua Daspit 11:41
So one of the things that I hoped I tried to convey earlier in that, in that talk, was the importance of thinking about networking, from a slightly different perspective. It's not about passing out those business cards. It's about developing meaningful relationships about being strategic, and spending your time wisely when you are at events like that, for example. In other words, networking is not a one way street. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. What can I get from you? Like, can you give me I want a job I want I want I want. So in the talk that I gave, I wanted to emphasize the importance of developing meaningful relationships by giving being of service to others. Yeah. So rather than showing up with your business card, take a moment. Talk to someone.
Shelbe Rodriguez 12:37
Yeah. Get to know them. Yeah. Give
Joshua Daspit 12:41
your time. Be of service, is there something you can help them with?
Shelbe Rodriguez 12:45
Yeah. And I know, you want our students to focus on building those connections, networking, truly networking, not just going out there doing it, going through the motions and passing out your card, but truly networking and being intentional about it. But what encouragement or actions do you want our Cardinals to take away from this interview today?
Joshua Daspit 13:08
You know, one thing that is relevant, not only to our students, but to, to many individuals, is something that I learned when I was going through my Ph. D. program in business. And through that process, I've studied a lot of theories and strategies, and so on and so forth. And one of the core strategies in business is the strategy of differentiation. So we give advice to businesses that in order to be successful, to create a competitive advantage, it's important to differentiate. Yeah, in other words, it's important to be different, you can create value out of being different. Yeah. So for me, that translates beautifully to the individual level, right? We can talk about organizations and businesses being different. But that applies in the same form the same fashion to us as individuals. Yeah. So I would challenge anyone that's listening to think, how are you different? What's that passion that you have? And how can you be more of that? Being different can be so many things to so many individuals? For me personally, I, early on in life, thought geez, being a member of the LGBT community, I saw that as a liability as not a good thing. Yeah. Until I once heard someone say that. Being being part of the LGBT community was a blessing. Wow. Now, shall we I heard that and I thought, a blessing
Shelbe Rodriguez 15:00
Yeah, I know what you mean a blessing.
Joshua Daspit 15:03
And it wasn't until years later, when I was going through my doctoral studies and looking at businesses, I thought, well, if we encourage businesses to be different, yeah. That applies to me, in my situation, I've got a unique perspective as an individual who is part of that community. And that helps to make me different. No different in other ways, too, right? I've got a very dry sense of humor. I've got, we love it. Yeah, you know, and several things. But we're all unique in some way. And so many times, we try to conform to fit in to be part of this group or that group. But success can result from being unique. Just like we tell businesses, if you want to create a competitive advantage, if you want to increase your profits, if you want to be more competitive, more successful, be different, be unique. The same applies to individuals, you can be yourself, right, whoever you are, and you know, when I was speaking to that group of LGBT students, they're inherently they have some difference. It can be to any, you know, for any member of any minority group, you have a unique perspective. Yeah. And embrace that. You can bring that to organizations, you can bring that to work, you can bring that to any activity you do. There's value in that. And if you're in an organization that does not value that, I would encourage you to think twice about why the heck you're part of that organization.
Shelbe Rodriguez 16:48
Yeah. Be different. Right? builds relationships and network. Those are the keys. Right? Dr. daspit? Are that's part of it. Yeah, that's
Joshua Daspit 16:58
part of it. Right? How much time do we have
Shelbe Rodriguez 17:01
to come back for the next figure out the other part, but build connections network can be different
Joshua Daspit 17:07
meaningful connections, meaningful connection, you know, those connections that that are genuine, yeah. That lead to friendships that you end up having long after you've graduated from college or left a job or had a change in life?
Shelbe Rodriguez 17:24
Well, Dr. Das, but I want to thank you for joining me on the radio show today.
Joshua Daspit 17:28
Oh, the pleasure is mine. Thanks for having me. Well, Cardinals, that
Shelbe Rodriguez 17:31
is a wrap here with LSU alum, Dr. Joshua daspit. If you are just tuning in, I couldn't stick around for the entire interview. Don't worry, you can tune in now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. Just search Liu moment. As always, be sure to follow us on social media. You already know their username, but in case you don't, here's a hint. It's Lamar University. This is Shelby Rodriguez, Public Affairs Manager here at Lamar University the pride of Southeast Texas