An Ode to Josh Bacon
Written by Vice President, Spencer Wright
One of Jacob Falberg’s favorite movies is Spy Kids. Anyone who vaguely knows Jacob probably knows this, and it's certainly become a well-accepted fact that Jacob loves entertaining movies, no matter the bad rap some of them might get.
I learned that Jacob loves Spy Kids when he and I first interacted at Blue Chip in Spring 2017. We sat next to each other, crammed into a Tufte classroom with at least 50 other potential DeKAs, as we all ate PF Chang’s. Of course, I was nervous, and felt extremely awkward in the atmosphere. But then Jacob began talking about Spy Kids. It was silly, earnest, and significantly helped lessen my awkwardness. Our conversation didn’t go on very long, (the mingling is real), and neither of us got a bid that semester.
Of course, it was a bummer not getting in, but I was proud of myself for even putting myself out there enough to consider going out for DKA. The second time I rushed, it was a last-minute, snap decision. I had had a difficult summer in between Spring and Fall of 2017, and I wasn’t sure if I still felt a strong connection to DKA; I wasn’t sure it- or FSL in general- was something I wanted to be a part of. But the night of Game Night- the final non-invite event of Recruitment- I got inspired to go back out for it, and I spontaneously went to the event. It was a snap decision, but some part of me knew that there was something special about this org, and I pushed past my lack of assuredness and my nerves.
That ‘some part of me’, as you probably guessed, was first President Sammi Mustari. Kidding!!- though she was also instrumental to my wanting to be a part of DKA. But, no, the ‘some part of me’ that gave me a sense of comfort, that gave me the connection to feel confident enough to go back out for the org, was Jacob Falberg. The lovable, warm Jacob Falberg who was willing to talk to an extremely nervous and probably sweaty mess like me about Spy Kids at my first Blue Chip is without a doubt a significant part of the reason I’m in DKA today.
Something we’ve talked a lot about recently in DKA is that this org- this family- is about the people you meet. Seeing DeKAs doing great things is what makes people want to join us during Recruitment, makes people want to learn with us during new member ed, makes people want to watch movies together and make short films and the list goes on. Jacob Falberg is the epitome of this belief. His upholding of every DKA value in everything he does, the outward passion he has for DKA, and the genuine love he has for each member of this family, inspires me every day. It has been my greatest honor to work alongside him, to learn from him, to feel supported by him, and to watch him grow into the incredible professional we all have the pleasure of calling family.
Doing the work that Jacob has done and continues to do isn’t easy- though he certainly makes it look like it is. But as Carmen Cortez once said, “Spy work, that's easy. Keeping a family together, that's difficult. And that's the mission worth fighting for.” Thank you, Jacob, for taking on this mission and leading it with ease. We love you, I love you, and we are so thankful. Let’s watch Spy Kids 3-D soon?
In Delta, Kappa, and Alpha,
Spencer