Leadership quote

"Leadership and learning are indespensable to eachother."- John F. Kennedy
I tried finding many different quotes, all of which I thought were very relevant to what leadership means, but I believe that this one pertains to my experiences the most. Over the course of my leadership opportunities I have learned more from the people around me than they have from me. For example, by being a part of hall council I am learning all about the amount of work that goes into planning events and running a building. We deal with anything from acts of vandalism to fundraising for charities. I also believe that through my education I have learned and developed some skills necessary to be an effective leader. I have learned not only to let others speak, but to really listen to what they have to say. I have also learned to think about all possible sides of a situation. By doing so, I make a more well-adjusted decision. I have found that through my leadership experiences I learn by doing and listening.

I learned valuable things about an e-portfolio during the information session last Friday. I did not know that an e-portfolio could be used for potential employers and it is generally used to market yourself for different programs. It is similar to a blog, but can keep even more information about yourself there. It is a way to display your best coursework to show that you can actually do and have done what you say you can. Using the e-portfolio I would like to highlight my service, leadership, and job experiences because I feel like those would show my diverse interests, dedication to others and work ethic. I believe that it is important for a leader to serve others to gain trust of their followers and the ability to see from a different perspective. It shows that they care for others and truly want what is right or just. People look to actions, rather than words as to how they should act.

As I try to think of what I am most passionate about, I find it hard to narrow my seemingly endless list. I love art, math, science, history; find social injustice, global warming/pollution, and poverty all appalling.  There are even more I could list off, but the things I am most passionate about are social injustices, math, education, art and service. These may all seem unconnected at first glance, but I have come to incorporate them all together. I volunteer at Free Street Theater which was founded on the basis for social change; their mission is to bring theater to more people. They now empower under privileged youth by teaching them to express there beliefs on social issues through theater. I helped them with fundraisers, paid their bills and itemized receipts. This does not sound like the best job, but I believe it was because I incorporated my math skills to support a really important mission. I believe my passions relate to my leadership by showing my true character. They also help me to lead because when I am passionate about something, people can sense the enthusiasm.

My Definition of a leader

The STARS LEAD program interests me in a variety of ways, but I am most looking forward to our work with the Empowerment Pipeline. It is a program created by students at Loyola to empower under privileged youth by giving them tools to reach for higher education. Teaching and helping youth is a passion of mine that has evolved since starting here at Loyola University. I am interested to see the specific workshops we will be doing with the current juniors or seniors in high school, and their reactions to the workshops. I am looking forward to building a mentoring relationship with them. The Empowerment Pipeline is the part of the lead program that I am most interested in. I hope to have a successful mentor-ship, form new friendships, find my true passions, and acquire and develop key leadership skills by the end of the program.

I enjoyed our first meeting as part of the lead program. It was nice to get to know new people in STARS and learn about how they define themselves. As Joe pointed out, it was interesting that it never came to our minds to identify ourselves as leaders. We all are in some ways a leader, we had to show that in order to be a part of the LEAD program. My personal definition of a leader is one who serves others in a way that inspires people and a person who carries themselves in a respectful, positive, and ethical manner. They follow what they believe is right even if no one is watching or even against it.
I hope to gain public speaking skills and confidence in communicating my thoughts with others. I usually get nervous talking in front of a large group of people and forget parts of what I am going to say. I would like to learn how to overcome this. I would also like to learn to be a quick decision maker, while still making well-informed decisions. My ability to see both sides of a situation makes it difficult to make a quick decision. I hope some skills I acquire are ones that I might not necessarily think of, but are important to being a good leader.