Notice: Leadership Skills Needed! by Adrian

Notice: Leadership Skills Needed! by Adrian - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

When I saw the topic, "Are Leadership Skills Necessary for College Success", I thought this scholarship essay was hand delivered to me, personally. I did not choose to move to the Middle East! It was chosen for me. But because of the challenges I faced here in the UAE, I grew into a more caring, skilled, dependable individual who has thrived in the environment around me. All of this has groomed me into a strong leader for my school and family.

Picture yourself moving away from Texas (the only state that you have ever known for 14 years) and being dropped off halfway around the world into a country that does not speak your language, practices a different religion, and really does not know what to make of you. I could never have pictured it myself, but this is exactly what happened to me January 2012. After a couple of weeks of soaking everything in, trying to understand how things work here, I decided I would take advantage of this time of my life and grow from it.

When most people think of leadership, they think of one specific person guiding a group of people. Even though this is one definition of a leader, it is not the only type. You could still be a leader by leading yourself. A certain type of inner drive is needed to get you to and through college. You need to be able to at least lead yourself to college professors for extra explanations, or to administration offices to get certain paperwork done. I have done this plenty of times during my four years in high school in the United Arab Emirates. Plus, by leading yourself other people will notice and start following you.

I love being involved. I love feeling like I am a part of something, making a change for the better. I saw needs here and when I felt like I had finally been accepted, I acted. I met with staff in administration and discussed issues with other students. As a result, I became president of my school's "Eco Club". The skills that I used to obtain that position are the leadership skills that I think most graduating college students should possess. The college system is designed to weed out the students who are not prepared for a college degree. That is an obvious reason that students with the correct mindset and the right leadership skills can thrive in college.

College is an interface swimming with group work and working with others. Although it is never mentioned, every group always has a leader. And since there are multiple group projects, and there are always changing groups, then every student should at least once end up a leader of a group.

In conclusion, I think that leadership skills are necessary for college. If not to use those skills on others, then at least to use on yourself to make sure you thrive on campus. No one in college will try to go out of their way and make sure you specifically are doing everything you are supposed to do. So you need to take it upon yourself to take responsibility of your academics, and lead.