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In the fall of 2003, four college freshmen at the University of Minnesota were hanging out together and eating Ramen noodles in a dorm room. Through conversations that night, they had a simple idea that grew into a much greater initiative than they ever imagined. On a scrap piece of paper, they had written “STUDENTS TODAY...LEADERS FOREVER.” Simply stating who they were, and who they intend to be, but with a dream to prove to the world that young people can make a difference.

 

Over the course of that year, they shared their vision with friends and university leaders, worked tirelessly, and set out on their very first ever Pay it Forward Tour over their spring break in 2004. A total of 43 students went on this first tour and they had a combined total of 600 service hours by the end of the trip. The four leaders were blown away by the impact that they were able to make in communities around the country and they wanted to keep this passion moving. Recruiting friends from other schools allowed STLF Pay it Forward Tours to grow to more college campuses around the country and had eventually expanded to 32 campuses in 10 different states. In 2005, STLF began as a non-profit organization as the four students wanted to see their vision grow to its full potential. By 2006, Pay it Forward tours expanded further and started taking place at the high school level, and a few years later within middle schools as well. 

 

One Iowa State freshman in 2014 named Eric Bishop had participated in a few high school Pay it Forward tours before coming to college. Realizing that Iowa State did not have an STLF organization on campus and wanting to continue making a difference, he recruited 3 close friends Tessa, Henry, and Hayly, to help him start an STLF chapter at ISU. 

 

Over spring break in 2016, 36 students set out on Iowa State’s first Pay It Forward tour to Washington DC. Many participants had signed up on a whim without knowing much about the organization or knowing a single person, and then the next year became the new core team to lead their own Pay it Forward tour.

 

In April 2018, the STLF national staff of the non-profit had to make the difficult financial decision to dissolve the organization. In the 14 years of STLF, a grand total of 788 Pay it Forward tours were completed and had made an impact on 30,375 participants. 

 

So with thousands of current student leaders nationwide hearing this news, the big question remained: what now? Although many people were heart-broken, the spirit of STLF had been embedded into the hearts of so many and provided the strength to lead a life dedicated to service, relationships, and action. And because of this, the spirit of STLF lives on.

 

The core team of ISU student leaders gathered together and asked, “do we continue on our own?” On that day, every member was all-in and dedicated to be sure that STLF would live on at Iowa State under the new name of Pay It Forward. 

 

Because of the passion that STLF had started, we get to be the solutions that our world needs. We get to create positive change in those around us. We have the responsibility to ask ourselves again and again: “Wouldn't it be awesome if... we changed the world?”