Todd Hendricks never imagined four years ago when he graduated from BYU that he would someday return to work for the Student Leadership Office – the same office he worked for as a student.
“It’s kind of like d?j? vu,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks began working as a supervisor over the public relations department of BYUSA last week.
As a student, Hendricks originally worked for the events management team of Campus Life for two years. Hendricks also helped to plan new student orientation and women’s leadership conference, as well as working for leadership education organizing the foundations of leadership conference.
While at Student Leadership, Hendricks worked under Brent Barclay and credits his decision to come back largely to the example Barclay set. Hendricks said he thought the world of Barclay, who was always emphasizing motive and example, that who you are affects how you lead.
“Brent Barclay was a very good mentor and role model for me and afterward I knew I wanted to do work like this,” Hendricks said. “When the job became available it was just a dream come true for me.”
Hendricks said a typical day for him includes getting to the office at 8 a.m. and leaving around 6 p.m. His responsibilities include working with the Foundations of Leadership Conference and Student Leadership Seminar, a class offered at BYU.
Hendricks also works with BYUSA’s public relations and Campus Life Design that does visual communication for BYUSA and other groups.
BYUSA President France Nielson worked with Hendricks at the student alumni association and said he is excited to work with him again.
“Todd and I developed a great working relationship and I was happy to hear he was coming back,” Nielson said. “Todd is a very smart person and is very good at predicting the needs of students.”
Never having worked directly with BYUSA before, Hendricks said all his expectations have been met and then some.
“I assumed I’d be working with very bright, talented individuals again and they are just a phenomenal group,” Hendricks said. “The students who work with BYUSA are selfless leaders who are trying to model their leadership based on the example of Jesus Christ.”
Hendricks said working with BYUSA and student leadership again reaffirms the benefits of the association for the BYU community.
“A lot of time students don’t realize how much work is being put in by BYUSA officers and volunteers,” Hendricks said. “There are so many facets to BYUSA and it would be impossible for someone not to see the benefits available.”
Ian Bowles, who works under Hendricks at Campus Life Design, said Hendricks is innovative and always willing to change things for the better.
“If he sees a way to make something better, he is always willing to go for it,” Bowles said.
Hendricks said it has been worth it to return to BYU; even though his wife jokes that once people graduate BYU they typically leave Provo.
“To be back, that’s exciting for me,” Hendricks said. “It’s one of life’s little luxuries to do what you love with people you admire.”
