“Refuse to settle,” said Eric Logan (‘03, ‘07, ‘08), Executive Director of Light of Chance, Inc. as his advice for success. “Just really try to find your passion and pursue it.”
At Western Kentucky University, Logan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Master of Arts in Corporate & Organizational Communication, and Master of Arts in Leadership Dynamics (now titled Organizational Leadership). He founded Light of Chance, an organization devoted to serving the youth and the community through innovative arts and wellness programs, in Madisonville, Kentucky, in 2005.
Light of Chance offers several programs and events, including Breathe for youth in grades 5-12, which features yoga, dance, music, creative writing, and more during the year. Ongoing activities include the Clever Cooking interactive food seminar and Aspire Emerging Leaders Conference along with the Dust Bowl and A Beautiful Mess Jam Fest fundraiser.
In 2019, Logan opened an office in Bowling Green, making it the second location for Light of Chance in the state.
From his experience with Light of Chance, Logan offers five points of advice for success for students and fellow alumni that support his thoughts on refusing to settle.
– Be patient – success can take many years.
– Figure out what you are interested in and dive in deep to make sure it is for you.
– Pursue your passion.
– Cut through the noise – other people’s ideas of success for you.
– Know everything about your business.
Logan elaborated on the final two points.
“You really must define it [success] for yourself, and you have to be comfortable with what that is,” Logan said. “You have to find solitude on what success is. You have to look beyond the material. Success is really knowing and identifying your passion and your gift. When you work within your passion and your gifts, you attract other avenues for success.”
Logan added the importance of having a working knowledge of every aspect of your business.
“You have to know your business. Whatever your career path, you have to have a working knowledge of everything that goes into it – everything that makes it work. So, when it doesn’t go well, you can immediately recognize it and try to fix it,” Logan said.
Logan started Light of Chance with an idea for a community event that would bring people together, and that idea grew from there. “It wasn’t my intention to start a nonprofit, it was more like a calling.”
Since Logan started Light of Chance 15 years ago, countless young people have come through the program and explored careers of their own.
“To see how it [Light of Chance] has possibly impacted people’s lives – to know that some of them are engineers, doctors, attorneys and entrepreneurs – I like to think that we have a little bit of part in that.”
Logan finished with an acknowledgement, “If you get recognized that is really great, but this type of work is really measured after you are gone.”
By: Western Kentucky University