The Courage
to Emerge
The Courage
to Emerge
Tempered by circumstance, consistency, discipline, and patience, cultivated in solitude, and shaped in darkness, leaders are seldom born. They are forged. We often overlook the struggles of a leader as we watch their wings unfurl, mistaking their strength for innate ability, but true leaders, like caterpillars sealed within a chrysalis, undergo a profound metamorphosis — reborn and renewed through cycles of pressure and persistence. With an intensity born of what has been hard-won and forged within, their light doesn't simply shine, it glows.
Sirjustin Bowen, a well-known campus leader, whose charisma, community leadership, and care for others are a beacon of light for most, arrived at Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) with doubts. Like a caterpillar in its chrysalis, Bowen clung to a fragile sense of direction. Struggles, isolation, and uncertainties defined his academic path before reaching the High Plains.
Bowen's childhood was spent in a comfortable home with nurturing parents. Growing up, social media began to have a significant impact on the social and psychological lives of him and his friends. An openness settled in, the world felt closer, and the future more inviting. Life was good and passed without major incident until seventh grade, when Bowen began to struggle under the weight of increasing academic demands and the constant distractions of social media. The stress took its toll, and he was forced to repeat the grade. The gravity of that failure was heavy on his shoulders. Troubled by how much their son was struggling, Bowen's parents hoped that homeschooling would provide him with the space and support he needed. He enrolled in the Christian Education Consortium in 2016, a private co-op school offering blended education for homeschooling middle to high school students.
Although intended as a fresh start, the hybrid format presented new challenges. Remote learning was a significant obstacle to his education, and the absence of consistent, in-person support made it difficult for him to stay engaged. The motivation Bowen hoped to find vanished in the quiet of his room, often resulting in a suffocating, overwhelming sense of isolation.
“I figured I might as well just go immerse myself in the community, and I think that was one of the best choices I ever made — just to go out there and take the chance.”
For Bowen, the ache of solitude came quietly inside the stillness of his room as he drifted between screens and silence. Something inside him was unraveling, shifting in ways he couldn't name. Despite a period of waning motivation, a new shape was beginning to form. This transformation became his solace.
Bowen found an unexpected outlet for creativity and a budding passion for media. He began volunteering with his church media team, capturing moments on camera during services. As the world shifted outside with the pandemic, Bowen's world continued to reshape as he began playing a more crucial role in adapting the church's outreach. This sense of community and purpose pulled him from his seclusion. He helped facilitate the livestream for services, making the church more accessible. This experience later proved to be the spark that ignited his passion.
Bowen's family moved to New Mexico before his senior year of high school, where he attended the Albuquerque Charter Academy, a public high school that offers a customized curriculum to every type of learner. Through sheer determination, he graduated on track in spring 2021, despite the many obstacles he faced adapting to hybrid and remote learning.
Having recently navigated the challenges of online learning during his hybrid school experience, Bowen knew firsthand that university wasn't the right fit for him at the time. Immediately attending university would have put Bowen in a position to face the pandemic's shift to virtual learning. When he stared down another isolating virtual semester, there was the threat that it would undo the progress he'd fought so hard to achieve. With his high school diploma in hand, Bowen instinctively sought a gap year. He wanted to step back before committing to a primarily online college experience, hoping the world and his path would become clearer.
During the gap year, he traveled with his family by road and by plane to cities that introduced him to new cultures and experiences. He saw the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, along with its massive population and thick smog. He walked through Las Vegas with his head tilted back, mesmerized by the teeming lights. He felt the magic of Orlando's Disney World, a graduation present from his parents. Despite the excitement these trips offered, Bowen found himself in a state of introspection. These vacations became a time of reflection and reconnection, intentionally set apart from the virtual world.
“I feel like the [gap year] gave me that refresh that I needed to have my successful experience here at Eastern.”
Throughout his travels, the questions of his future and higher education became something he couldn't stop thinking about. "I feel like the [gap year] gave me that refresh that I needed to have my successful experience here at Eastern," Bowen said. He originally considered starting school at a community college in Albuquerque but ultimately took the leap to attend ENMU. "I figured I might as well just go immerse myself in the community, and I think that was one of the best choices I ever made—just to go out there and take the chance." This decision marked the beginning of a transformative chapter in Bowen's life, during which he grew as an academic and discovered a profound sense of belonging and purpose.
When Bowen arrived at Eastern, he was unaware of the strength that had been slowly growing within him. He was transforming.
From the inside, chrysalises first see the outside light like a blur. The light intensifies, and the world outside begins to sharpen. But it takes time. It takes a nourishing and safe cocoon, a protective space, for metamorphosis to occur and the outside world to become crisp.
Bowen discovered ENMU wasn't just a college campus, but a community. It was a place where he belonged, and a place where a small acknowledgment, a simple hello, could make all the difference. Quickly, mentors saw potential in Bowen that he didn't see in himself. Through his involvement, he discovered a path to purpose. "There's just something about the community here that motivates you to be the best person you can be," he said. For Bowen, the University was the connection he needed for his final stage of growth. He felt his cocoon breaking open.
Bowen's first taste of campus life was during Dawg Days, and it wasn't just an orientation, but a realization of Bowen's path. After his isolating experience with homeschooling and the lonely nature of online learning, he arrived at ENMU apprehensive about what he might find. To his surprise, he encountered a vibrant and welcoming community during the weekend-long Dawg Days celebration. Bowen was greeted with smiling faces of students moving into their dorms, a boisterous community fair, a pep rally, and live entertainment. "Seeing all the students so excited to be a part of this opportunity and then realizing that these students came several days earlier just to welcome us, to welcome me," he said. "It was cool to see them take the initiative to build a community and offer a familiar face."
This act of genuine welcoming and the eagerness of fellow students instantly dissolved Bowen's reservations. For the first time in a long while, he belonged not just to a place but felt a renewed sense of academic purpose.
For the first time in a long while, he belonged not just to a place but felt a renewed sense of academic purpose.
Inspired by the energy and camaraderie he found during Dawg Days, Bowen didn't hesitate to immerse himself in student life. "I wanted to do what they're doing," he had this thought and translated it into action. His passion and eagerness to contribute caught the attention of student leaders and mentors. He was rapidly pulled into the fold, receiving chances to step up. Student Body President Tamia Smith (BS 23) and Student Body Vice President Payton Santillanes (BS 23) recognized his potential and urged him to apply for Student Government. Soon after, ENMU Director of Campus Life, Reydecel Coss (MEd 16, MA 22, MBA 24), and Assistant Director of Campus Life, Linda Ramos (AA 15, BA 19, MS 24), championed him, offering him opportunities typically reserved for more seasoned leaders. "They saw that in me ... that I have the potential to be a leader," Bowen reflected, a humbling and empowering realization. These early relationships were pivotal, validating his desire to be involved and solidifying his belief that he had truly found his place at ENMU.
More Than a Ring
Today, Bowen actively embraces multiple roles on campus. Through the Student Government Association (SGA), he collaborates directly with student organizations across departments, helping them grow and engage meaningfully with their peers. It's a position that's deepened his understanding of what students need and how to advocate for them. At the same time, his role as hall director for Eddy Hall allows him to build community, offering support and guidance to students day to day. Together, these experiences have shaped his leadership and will be instrumental as he steps into the role of student body president, a position he never imagined he would fill.
Beyond these organizational roles, Bowen also found personal significance as a ring ambassador of ENMU's inaugural Ring Ceremony, a new tradition recognizing alumni and students nearing graduation before Homecoming of the same school year. The ceremony was a pivotal experience, solidifying Bowen's sense of belonging and achievement. Timed deliberately at sunset to symbolize the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one, the ceremony felt like the tearing of the silk container that had been holding him as he grew. Bowen emerged from his cocoon as a leader, a pillar of the community, and a beacon for younger students. Much like a butterfly leaving the cocoon for the first time, no longer hidden, he could be seen unfolding his wings with quiet certainty. During the ceremony, ENMU Chancellor Dr. Johnston shared the ring ceremonies tradition, explaining that when the University seal faces inward, toward the wearer, it serves as a daily reminder to focus on academics, but once a student completes their final year and graduates, they get to turn the ring outward, proudly displaying the seal as a symbol of their accomplishments.
“Knowing that people are not only rooting for me at home but here as well has made a difference for my education.”
Receiving his ENMU ring was a surreal experience for Bowen. The ring is a tangible representation of his transformation and the supportive community he found at Eastern. "This was kinda like the key to my success," he reflected. "This is the ring that ignited my experience here at ENMU." For Bowen, the ring represents a powerful symbol of his transformation and the strong support system he discovered. "Knowing that people are not only rooting for me at home but here as well has made a difference for my education," he said.
Bowen's academics, once a point of chagrin, are now a point of pride. They are a testament to his determination that earned him the honor of participating in the ceremony. Today, a driving force behind the dedication to his studies is his deep involvement in campus leadership. Bowen recognizes that academic performance directly impacts his ability to remain active in these roles, giving him a strong incentive to maintain his grades. "I've been able to have more self-control and determination within my education and my career," he said.
As a communication major with an emphasis in broadcast production, Bowen aims to secure an internship and a future in media or marketing. A chrysalis, like this school, is not a place of retreat, but a space for making yourself who you want to become. Though his future looms close by, Bowen has his eyes on his upcoming term as student body president. He has a deep aspiration to create more opportunities for students to connect and to ignite the spark of transformation within his peers. He knows firsthand that the college journey is so much more than textbooks and tests. The journey is about trusting the cocoon that holds you while you change, believing in the unseen work within, and having the courage to emerge.
For Bowen, his ring is a constant reminder of how Eastern became the place where he not only found academic confidence but also began crafting a future grounded in strong relationships and leadership. The seal it holds is more than a personal memento. He sees it as a shared symbol rooted in our university tradition. The ring links him to a community of Greyhounds, past, present, and future, who understand the journey of growth and transformation that an ENMU education represents. "I've redefined where I was going, and I see that as a huge success," he says, "I'm just excited to see what's next."
“I've redefined where I was going, and I see that as a huge success. I'm just excited to see what's next.”
