I first heard the story of Philip Lutzenkirchen when his dad, Mr. Mike Lutzenkirchen, came and spoke at an assembly when I was in middle-school. However, the message didn’t resonate with me until this past summer when my friend David passed away in a drunk driving accident. He was a classmate, a friend, and a proud member of our football team. My whole community was impacted by his passing and it truly put into perspective the importance of safe driving.
While going through the Prepared for Life (PFL) Scholarship application and curriculum, what stuck out the most was the lesson on patience. Patience or the “willingness to endure” stuck out to me. Accepting life’s challenges takes great patience and strength. One of the hardest things after David’s death was waiting to find out what good God had planned for taking David away from us. I saw how Philip demonstrated patience when he decided to forego entering the NFL as a draft eligible junior. While he was projected to be a 3rd to 4th round draft pick, graduating from Auburn University with a degree and returning to play as a Senior Captain was more important than his future in the NFL. I am constantly learning more about patience. One of the reasons I chose to attend The University of Alabama was for the opportunity to try out for Crimson Tide Productions (CTP) which is the multimedia arm of The University of Alabama Athletics Department, responsible for producing and distributing a wide range of content related to Alabama athletics. This was an opportunity to work hands-on in a field I was interested in. I applied, received an interview, and eventually was hired. However, I felt I was being left behind by my peers. Everyone around me was being scheduled, while my timesheet remained blank. I was so excited to work for this dream opportunity that when I was not scheduled frequently, I questioned my worth. A part of patience is waiting, so I waited. I went to training, only working a handful of shifts my first year. At the start of my sophomore year I was ready for another year of sitting around waiting for shifts, but I received a text fro a producer with CTP, asking if I wished to join the specialized training program to become an in-venue producer. I jumped on the opportunity and have now in-venue dashed soccer, volleyball, women and men’s basketball, softball, and baseball.
I grew up an Auburn fan and almost didn’t go to The University of Alabama. It was my favorite school since the summer before my Junior year of high school, but I had to receive a certain amount of scholarship money to attend. I received less from the school than I hoped. I filled out more external scholarships than I can count (and I am still filling them out to get additional today). I made a promise to my parents that if we could somehow make Alabama work that I would not take it for granted. I don’t skip class, even if it’s a really boring lecture. I got plugged into sororities and clubs. I also work two student worker jobs; Crimson Tide Productions allows me to work in my major and the President’s Office gives me great connections. I also keep myself plugged into church like leading a small group and being a leader in Delight Ministries. My days usually end around 11 p.m. and that is when I can start my homework. I have been given the chance to go to college so everyday I get up wanting to Live Like Lutz and Do it for David.