INSPIRE by Clinton

INSPIRE by Clinton - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.”- Khalil Gibran

As a young black man who’s starting to truly become independent and explore the world, developing leadership skills have been an important thing for me to do. Working two jobs and being a director for the youth ministry in my church have helped shape and mold my leadership skills. Being a leader is so vital everywhere you go. Being a leader to me has helped me take responsibility for my actions, make sound decisions, and inspire those around me. A leader is not only someone who makes decisions and leads, but one who helps inspire those around them and lifts them up and brings out their highest potential. The greatest leaders in the world have done just this. They’ve inspired the masses and have caused the most positive and progressive changes around the world. Some of the greatest influential leaders are: Abraham Lincoln, Fredrick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Mahatma Ghandi, Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, etc. These people did not aggressively lead people; they inspired them and allowed them to access potential in themselves. Their success has spoken volumes across the globe. All in all, my success in college may not equate to the same level of success as some of the greats listed prior, but I believe that I gained valuable skills in leadership, and that to me is success.