For years I’ve been honored to come back to Truman Scholars Leadership Week (TSLW) as a Senior Scholar, and inevitably some of the incoming Truman Scholars always ask, “Why do you keep coming back?”

Their intent is never to insinuate that I’m crazy; it’s mere, adorable curiosity, and it’s a fair question. Senior Scholars have careers and commitments, and many of us spend our spare hours at TSLW catching up on the work we left behind. The bottom line is that our commitment to public service transcends our professional careers, and it includes giving back to the larger Truman community.

Coming back is an absolute delight. Nothing keeps you motivated like a hit of Truman Scholars. The new class has an incredible energy every year, and you return home more motivated to serve and with a wonderful set of stories and new dance moves. The moves have been getting more challenging every year though. I completely failed to master the art of “smanging” during TSLW 2011, but the dance lessons at my local studio are working wonders so far.

We learn and grow more from the incoming Scholars than anything they collectively get from us. Being amongst Truman Scholars is a special setup. Not since Summer Institute could I banter with the people around me about the seemingly inane policy topics I hold dear – my favorite from TSLW 2010 was a riveting discussion on fecal contamination from ranching and the potential for zoonotic diseases as an environmental justice concern – only then to rush across the room to a game of “Mafia” about to start. Everyone brings such wonderful knowledge and experiences. Once Tara Yglesias (PA ‘93), the beloved figurehead of TSLW and Deputy Executive Secretary of the Truman Foundation, course corrects everyone with the “you’re all ‘special little snowflakes’” routine, you can learn a lot from just the casual chatter.

The only people I learn more from while at TSLW every year are the other Senior Scholars. I’ve had the pleasure to get to know a gang-busting attorney, distinguished educators, political geniuses, and a whole lot of amazing public servants. They are at the top of their fields for their age, but what’s more striking is their sense of character and good humor.

The other question I get a lot from the incoming class is, “Do the Senior Scholars talk about us?” The answer is “Yes, absolutely.” Truman Scholars are such interesting people, and you deserve to be discussed. Every class has its own collective personality and cast of characters from year to year.

Madeleine Albright, President of the Truman Foundation, once commented to me that her time as Secretary of State was somewhat akin to running a zoo, and there’s probably a comparison to be made to TSLW. In my years though as a “keeper” at TSLW, I’ve never seen the animals throwing excrement at each other or anything like that, but there are sometimes discussions amongst the “keepers” about which animals might be courting and whether or not they’ve been fed enough the night of the Hunger Banquet. In all honesty though, we spend the vast majority of our time talking about how wonderful everyone is while laughing at the constant hilarity emanating from the Truman Foundation staff, the Scholars, and each other.

For future Truman Scholars and others who are curious about what really happens at TSLW:

• If a Senior Scholar makes fun you, it means that we respect and love you… honestly
• Yes, the Senior Scholars get disappointed in Scholars when they break the rules and act like 20 year olds (even though they are)
• Senior Scholars do socialize outside of the TSLW schedule and beyond the William Jewell Campus, but we’re allowed to
• The Senior Scholars don’t actually have “favorites” – we don’t care enough to make the effort of crafting lists
• There are such things as boundaries, no matter how much you want to dance with your favorite Senior Scholar
• The only expectation of Senior Scholars for their policy groups is to not be embarrassed by them
• There are even more snacks for Senior Scholars stashed away in the basement
• We will “tweet” the hilarious things Scholars say ;)

Michael Gale (WV ’02) co-coordinates the Conserving the Future vision process for the National Wildlife Refuge System (www.AmericasWildlife.org). Follow him on Twitter @generationwild.