Leadership in a College Environment by Alyia

Leadership in a College Environment by Alyia - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

All bright-eyed college freshman want to be successful in college. Be it socially or academically, every student has a goal that he or she aims to achieve while enjoying their college years. Students may recognize the question: what kind of effort is necessary for success? It is a question that looms over the young, penniless college student. From birth, society ingrains the thought of leadership into young minds. Be a leader, not a follower. It is this thought that begs the question: is leadership necessary for college success? Some students may stand strongly on one side of the argument and many on the opposition, but in order to really understand the question, one needs to know the exact meaning of success in the context. Is leadership necessary for academic success, social success, or is it merely dependent on the intended major and career path?

Academic success can be defined as achieving great grades and a strong GPA. Although different students hold themselves to different standards, this is the utmost understanding of academic success. So, does leadership play a crucial role? No, it does not. One can attain an incredibly high GPA every semester without uttering a word in class, therefore the leadership quality is not necessary. Many professors appreciate willingness to participate and lead class discussion, but they usually do not discriminate against the more unspoken students.

The operational definition of social success may differ immensely from student to student, but ultimately, is it the feeling of having many friends and having plans often. In order to be socially successful, leadership is key. To be a follower is to reside at the low-end of the totem pole, for example. Those who remain at the bottom of the totem pole are often forgotten. In order to have a lot of friends, one has to climb to the top of the totem pole, and that climb requires leadership. It takes a leader to create his or her own path, and social success is based upon that path.

One’s career path influences the quality of leadership necessary for success. If one plans to enlist in the Army as an active-duty officer, then he or she is expected to be a leader. That officer is trained throughout college to demonstrate leadership qualities, so leadership is necessary for success. For someone who plans to be an accountant, leadership may not play quite as large of a role. Accountants follow directions from their superiors, so they do not need to acquire strong leadership qualities. Of course, if said accountant aspires to work in a high position, then the question of the necessity of leadership may change as he or she works up the chain of positions.

College success employs many different meanings, so questioning the necessity of leadership qualities in becoming successful is a bit tricky. There are countless factors to be accounted for, but ultimately, it depends on the operational meaning of “college success.”