"Hmm…. This is not good" - Said Lisa while scratching her head.
It was the end of that week, and the group responsible for searching for funding for the event, including Alberto and I, was having a meeting review of what had been achieved and what should be the next steps. The thing is….
The visits to the remaining three tech companies were also a total disaster, and the rest of the group also wasn't able to secure a single penny with other companies. For these last visits, Alberto had come even more prepared and well dressed up, trying to be as corporate as possible, while also avoiding being boring. However, it wasn't enough. We were met with even less enthusiasm and goodwill.
The situation looked grim.
"I'm sorry, Ms. President" - Said Alberto, bowing down his head for Lisa and asking for forgiveness - "It's all my fault for not having presented our project in a better way!"
"N-no, no! It's okay, Alberto. Knowing you, I doubt that you've done something half-assed. It's just that… Maybe we overvalued ourselves and the image that science has to the general public."
"It's a bit complicated…" - Another committee member boy contributed- "These companies have mostly only commercial representatives down here and have mainly administrative tasks. All of the technical and product development are made overseas. So, I guess I kinda understand why these office men didn't care about us at all."
"Well…"- Lisa sighed- "I kind of anticipated that, and that's why I tried to make Miyuki kind of our 'poster girl", and maybe even have them use her image for marketing purposes, in exchange for some funds for the event. But I guess even a cute and smart girl like Miyuki may yet be enough for making these big companies contribute with some random university students."
"T-that was kind of a long shot from the beginning? Wasn't it?" - I responded in a bit more rational way.
I cannot believe that something like that would work just "because." Although if we consider Alberto's performance talking with these guys, if something indeed was to happen, him alone would surely have been more than enough to convince them.
"I guess so" - Responded Lisa shrugging her shoulders - "But it was worth the shot. And I really thought that maybe we'd get something. We don't need THAT much."
Well, this was indeed true… Despite being a seamlessly dumb plan, we didn't need that many resources, and it wasn't irrational to assume that showing just a bit more than average enthusiasm and will, we'd get at least some kind of support, even if minimal.
"Can we try asking for help from the students themselves?"
"I think it is possible to get something. But not much… We are a public university, and most of our students are not exactly inside the upper social stratum." - Lisa answered.
"We can ask for the other clubs and groups to help us in the campaign! Can't we?" - I suggested.
"Hmm… Maybe, but the outcome is too uncertain, and we'd probably need to decide on how to proceed with the event long before the campaign is over."
"But if we cannot do something about it…." - Alberto inquired.
"...At this rate"- Lisa sighed.
"...Yeah. We may need to hold off some of our plans" - The other committee member concluded.
Because of the excitement of the whole group and how we were willing to give our best to the cause, everybody felt the weight of that affirmation. It was like we got hit by a bucket of cold water.
"Well…. If that comes to be, it won't be worse than previous years, the students won't complain if it's the same as last year"- One of the boys commented.
"Yes, we can do something smaller but still enjoyable"- Another girl commented.
"After all, we are not magicians to make everything we want to become reality." - Another one manifested.
But, despite the general mood shifting to one of acceptance, Lisa remained quiet with her head down. Her fists were clenched and rested over her knees, while her face was red with frustration. It seemed like she could cry over it at any moment. It was obvious from the beginning how much Lisa cared for the event, and how she wanted it to be the best symposium in the history of the university. For her, guaranteeing the equipment was the first but one of the most important steps for revolutionizing this event and granting it a wider audience. But now…. It was relegated to being a normal event. More of the same; like every year prior. Not bad, but also, not good. And mediocrity was not in Lisa's dictionary.
But there was still one last option.
"H-hold on!"
"There is still one last thing we can do!"
I spoke out loud while standing up, and that immediately drew the full attention of the group to me. I didn't like being on the spot, but I just swallowed my fears and decided to speak out my mind. If there was still hope, I didn't want to regret in the future for not having tried one last thing.
I'd try everything before giving up.
"One last thing….?" - Said Lisa, lifting her chin, and in a low-key tone, but revealing that hope might still be alive.
"Yes!"
"Our teachers! We haven't included them in the equation. But they might be our last resource! We may ask them for-"
"What? Teachers? Are you out of your mind, Miyuki? Those useless old geezers wouldn't lift a finger to help us!" - One of the boys commented, interrupting me with a shocking cold, and cruel comment.
"It would be a total waste of time!" - Another girl added, while the group laughed in agreement.
"Yeah, yeah, they would just give us more assignments asking for something like that! Just forget it" - Yet another one commented.
I was speechless. I know teacher-student relations can be tough sometimes, to say the least. But, to blatantly call them useless in total disregard for their profession and work, even if we have some bumps along the way, was a bit too over and surprising for me to hear. Even more mean comments about our teachers followed, but I couldn't do anything else but just be silent in awe realizing how different were my perceptions about the professors.
I tried; I swear. But I think my social skills aren't high enough to dissuade a group's will. In a single moment, before even starting my argument, I had completely lost the circle's attention.
But as discouraging as the situation may have been, I wasn't alone. I wasn't fighting that battle alone!
"Hey, guys. This is a bit rude, right? Everybody had the opportunity to speak here, so shouldn't we give our friend Miyuki the same opportunity?"
Disrupting the group's depressing conversation, Alberto got up from his seat and reprimanded the other students, trying to turn back the attention towards me.
The group instantly silenced, acknowledging what he said was right. Alberto was someone who had presence, was respected, and knew how to impose his will.
While they scratched their heads, Alberto turned to me, smiled and nodded his head.
I understood his signal, smiled back, and got up from my seat once again to try to speak, but now to a more pacified crowd.
"Listen. Maybe some... Or many of us may have some issues with the teachers, but what I'm trying to say is that many of them have worked years in the industry and to this day are still sought for technical consulting from multi-billion-dollar companies."
"We are still young and many of us haven't even had a part time job yet let alone strong commercial connections, but our teachers have these kinds of connections. And I'm saying that these connections can be explored!"
"I understand what you are saying, Miyuki" - One of the boys commented - "And I'm sorry for laughing at you before. What we are saying is that we find your proposition a bit… Too hard, if not irrational. I don't know how things work in Japan, but down here we clash constantly with our teachers, especially under-grads like most of us are. I don't think they'd be willing to help at all..." - Others nodded their heads in agreement.
"That is not true!" - I replied vigorously - "Yes. I may be a foreign exchange student. But that doesn't change the fact of what my colleagues and I have achieved here, in this university. Because of Prof. Fukuda, we were able to have an incredible opportunity for our project, and this was only achieved because of his contact with the Navy!"
"But that's because Prof. Fukuda is a whole other story…" - The group still resisted - "Most of the other professors are hard to talk to, bitter and distant. The same thing won't happen with them."
"Once again. Not true!" - Now that I stepped in, I was determined to win this battle. It became personal. - "Tell me. How many of you have scholarships?" - after a brief silence, a few of them raised their hands - "And how many of you are enrolled in scientific research projects?" - Who didn't raise his hand before, now did it - "Then, last question: who approved or supported you to enroll in these things?"
The group remained silent. They knew the answer and what it meant. And they realized they have been unfair to our teachers with their words.
"Every single one of us in this building is working towards a goal, because there is at least one professor that inspired us and one that still supports us. Even if they may seem a bit distant and cold now and then, but…. There is still hope!"
The group fell silent and stayed like that for a while. I think they comprehend what I was saying, but still weren't willing to fully comment.
But as I said, I wasn't fighting this battle alone.
"I agree! We should give our professors a chance!" - Alberto rose and spoke firmly in agreement.
"Me too! We should at least try!" - Lisa also jumped out of her chair, shouting in agreement. Her eyes were watery, and her voice trembled.
"..."
"Well…. I think Miyuki may be right. We should at least try."
Finally! Yes!
"Hum… I'm still not completely convinced, but what option do we have?
"Yeah, we still have some time to try. I'm in."
Gradually, the whole group came to the agreement that we should at least try to reach out to our professors and ask if they could pull some strings with their contacts so we may have additional opportunities to ask for some funds.
The meeting ended with the confirmation of the assignment. Each one of us had the task of coming to our professors or advisors and asking if they could try helping us with amassing funds for the symposium.
As the room started emptying at the end of the meeting, I remained in my seat to catch my breath. This was the first time I personally had to take the lead and engage in such a heated discussion, so I felt exhausted afterward.
Besides me, the only ones who didn't decide to leave the room were Alberto and Lisa, who were on the opposite side from where I was. She had her head down, and her shoulders were trembling, like if she was depressed. As I noticed it, Alberto and I immediately got out of our seats and ran towards her.
"Lisa! Are you okay? I -"
"Thank you, Miyuki!!!" - Before I could even finish my phrase, Lisa jumped out and hugged me tight, while she cried over my shoulders.
"I know this isn't over yet but thank you Miyuki. Thank you, Miyuki, and Alberto. You guys have done so much already for the event in such a short span of time that I don't even know how to repay it. The whole thing with the visits, and now keeping the guys interested in the project and coming up with yet another avenue of opportunity. You are awesome! Thank you, thank you!"
"W-wait, w-wait just a bit, Lisa. We haven't done anything special, ok!? You can stop now!"
"Miyukiiiiii" - Lisa continued screaming, while she tightened her hug on me, I began losing air. It seemed like somebody else….
"L-Lisa. C-can't breathe!!"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! All's well that ends well, isn't it?" - Laughed Alberto.
Well… I cannot say things were solved. This was a last resource in a desperate situation, and there was still much to be done. But…. I think I was at least able to keep the flame of hope burning in the heart of my colleagues, but, more importantly, in the heart of Lisa, who cared so much for this event.
It's nice accomplishing something for others sometimes, isn't it?