Dear fellow Barrett Downtown students:
As most of you are aware, last week, I stepped down as the President of BLAST’D, the Barrett Leadership and Service Team on our campus. It was not an easy decision to realize that I had to make, nor was it a decision that I took lightly.
Being that I never had a chance in which to say farewell and thank you in person, I’m hoping that this open letter in this public forum will suffice just as well.
Let me be clear: My departure had nothing to do with the people that were serving alongside me. I have tremendous admiration and respect for the Executive Committee and the staff of Barrett Downtown. These individuals–volunteer and professional staff alike–tirelessly have advocated for us all and have worked to promote Barrett Downtown to the other ASU campuses. None of our events since Barrett Downtown’s inception would have been nearly as successful as they have been if our staff was not involved in the process.
Why, then, did I step down? It boils down to that the number of hours in the day remain fixed. My commitments–academic, professional, and service–keep growing. I cannot be all things to all people, and I quickly came to the realization that I needed to take an honest and objective look at all of my commitments. I have a lot on my plate with three simultaneous large-scale research projects, a continually-evolving job with the Dean’s Office for my College, the College of Public Programs, and the requisite coursework so I may graduate in December 2010. In addition, I’m starting to create my graduate school application for the Master of Public Administration program at ASU’s School of Public Affairs, where I’ll start in August 2011.
I think that the first thing that we, as students, forget is that we are students first when we’re in college. We try–and especially we as honors students–to do so much résumé-building that we truly forget why we’re here in the first place: to go and learn things so that we may become successful in whatever we choose to do. And especially as honors students, we have even more on our plate. Yes, résumé-building is good, but as the number of hours in the day remain fixed, we need to have our priorities.
For the club going forward: Give Caroline Porter her due respect. Ms. Porter is a wonderful person and she is equally committed to this club’s success. My decision to leave was made easier because I know that the club would be in capable hands.
Finally, I finish with these words: Thank you all so much for the support that you have given to me, to the club, and to the Barrett Downtown community. Keep that spirit alive as your relationship with Barrett Downtown continues to grow. Keep your support and enthusiasm for BLAST’D as alive as ever.
Oh, and by the way, this isn’t my goodbye from Barrett Downtown. Far from it. I’ll still be at some of the events and I’ll still be helping Jill, Jenn, and Dr. Peck on some projects and initiatives, still advocating and fighting for BLAST’D's success and due recognition along the way. Consider me the new Goodwill Ambassador for Barrett Downtown. 
And I’ll still see you around the campus.
-Edward Jensen