TMI student, alum meet at leadership conference

Stephan Santos, a junior at TMI – The Episcopal School of Texas, was chosen to attend the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) leadership seminar held at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was welcomed by Alison Miller ’10, a UT sophomore and junior counselor at the event.

Part of a nationwide program, the annual seminar draws rising high-school juniors selected by schools all over South and Central Texas for a three-day leadership-development conference.

“The team-building exercises helped me see other points of view and realize why other people think the way they do,” said Stephen. “We also covered minorities and the struggles they face, as well as exercises that taught us to get out of our comfort zones.” The seminar’s “great emphasis on leadership in groups and servant leadership,” he added, “is a lot like our TMI tradition.”

At TMI, Stephen serves as staff officer for logistics in the Texas Military Institute Corps of Cadets, was elected treasurer of the Interact community-service group and has received state-level awards in Latin competition. He also is this year’s recipient of the Scott Andrew Nall TMI Memorial Scholarship, a merit award for a student who has shown dedication to the military program and outstanding scholastic achievement and who has made a significant contribution to the TMI community.

The HOBY program was established in 1959 by actor Hugh O’Brian following a visit to Africa, where he was inspired by a meeting with noted humanitarian Dr. Albert Schweitzer.