In an unfortunate turn of events, preacher and artist Tucker Rodkey couldn’t make it to the Fine Arts Festival. Luckily, an impromptu performance from motivational speaker and author Cameron Henderson stepped up and left students with a new, positive outlook on their futures.
Henderson started his act with tales of his own misguided high school experience, which centered on the need to fit in, a place to belong and even a cuddly kitten. The main question that he tried to answer was “What am I meant for?” Henderson went into a series of anecdotes that showed that life is more than rewards, and he concluded with a statement that left many thinking: If you would do something without getting paid, thanked or acknowledged, then that is what is meant for you. Henderson then opened the floor to anyone who wanted to ask questions.
For a last-minute act, he was phenomenal. The audience was engaged, the crowd work didn’t feel forced, and there were a good number of questions at the end. He answered the questions in depth and gave genuine advice. Henderson was upbeat and didn’t let the sad topics weigh too much on the crowd. Many students were impressed with the poem that Henderson read, and freshman Kathryn Lane said, “All the AV members who were in the sound booth were really impressed by his message.”
