The Most Important Skill by Alanna

The Most Important Skill by Alanna - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

When enrolling for classes each semester, I do not see the word “leadership” throughout any of my course descriptions or in any of my course syllabi; however, it is unbelievably necessary to succeed academically and professionally in the future. Many college courses focus on success for the individual, which is measured through exams and homework; however, those two assessments do not measure one’s leadership skills. Group projects are present in many classes at university; I am currently a part of two group projects in two out of the five classes that I am enrolled in. Without leadership, the tasks for these group projects would not be delegated to group members, and the project would most likely fail. In addition to leadership for success in the classroom, leadership outside of the classroom is necessary for success in the future.

When one applies for a job after they earn their degree, the employer will browse their resume for their GPA and coursework, but more importantly, they will look for extracurricular activities that will push that prospective employee above their peers. Extracurricular activities are omnipresent in college. Being the president or treasurer of a club requires colossal leadership skills as does being the captain of one’s sport team. Leadership skills are vital in extracurricular activities because they separate that average from the great.

On the surface, leadership is not present in college because the word in not spelled out for everyone to see; however, it exists in and out of the classroom. Leadership helps students get better grades, and it prepares them for the future professionally. Without leaders in college, there would be no leaders in the workforce, and that is why leadership is arguably one of the most important skills to possess in college.