As school kicks into gear, PULSE is moving into new territory with new leadership, growing numbers and big aspirations.
Former PULSE president Derek Porter will take a lesser role in the group this year to allow younger members to carry on the group’s legacy, a move that surprised many.
“I wasn’t expecting him to step down,” said sophomore co-president Levi Ismail. “It’s kind of one of those things where he gave us an opportunity and we kind of took it and ran with it.”
Ismail’s co-president Jazz Hampton, a sophomore, agreed and appreciated what Porter did for the young club.
“A lot of people at first glance might think he resigned because he wasn’t having as much fun…it was actually the opposite,” Hampton said. “He resigned so he could make sure the people he passed it to were still passing on the heart of what PULSE really is.”
The two sophomores take over a PULSE group with ballooning numbers and skyrocketing popularity. The club has nearly 70 members, including a diverse cross-section of the St. Thomas student body.
Hampton expects the numbers to increase more, and he also hopes to perform at larger venues. PULSE is currently working with the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts to try to set up a future performance.
PULSE’s first performance of the year is Sept. 15 in the Brady Educational Center auditorium. The performance will be dedicated to the late pop icon Michael Jackson.
Ben Katzner can be reached at bekatzner@stthomas.edu.
First of all thank you! I appreciate all the hands that went into producing this article on PULSE as we press into our 2nd year as an active powerhouse on-campus. The story was well-done and accurately portrays our vision moving forward with PULSE as the leadership transitions. It is important to remember that PULSE is not merely 1 or 2 leaders who we may elect. Jazz Hampton & Levi Ismail are rising leaders at UST. They are the young men responsible for serving PULSE in the approaching season. I would like to take a moment to honor the confidence I have in their dedication to my foundation, but also make it clear that they are not PULSE in and of themselves. Instead, I like to think of PULSE as a mob of social reform! We study themes that meet two criteria. 1) Relevance to our generation and 2) Reflect our lived experience. Once this base is established, we rend our hearts on the stage and have an immense amount of fun while doing it. This is not the process of a mere man, but a community of human beings who use their artistic passion to not only cope with the issue of everyday life, but also support, encourage, and impact the lives of all who witness the passion that is PULSE.