Are Leadership Skills Necessary for College Success? by Devin

Are Leadership Skills Necessary for College Success? by Devin - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Are leadership skills necessary for college success?

In a word: sometimes

Leadership skills are coveted because they make a student stand out. Everyone notices a leader. But leadership doesn’t come easily to a lot of people. Perhaps a student is shy, and fearful of making his opinions known. A shy person might prefer to work quietly, succeeding without fanfare.

I’ve been a natural leader for most of my life. I didn’t set out to be a leader, but it seemed to happen organically. Friends looked to me for advice or guidance, and I was comfortable offering it. Teachers recognized me as a leader in the classroom. Coaches noticed my leadership skills and made me team captain of the football and track teams.

I’d never played football before my freshman year of high school, and by my second year on the team, my coaches conferred with me on the sidelines about strategy. I didn’t set out for that to happen, but it did. I studied the game and our opponents, and had no trouble voicing my thoughts about what we should do to secure a win.

Public speaking has always come easily for me. For seven years in a row, I’ve played in the Harmonic Bronze Handbell Ensemble. Harmonic Bronze is a group of students who play beautiful music for others. We’ve played at churches, senior citizen homes, and at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. In many of these performances, our director has asked me to be the Master of Ceremonies because he knows I can engage with other people and bring a level of ease and comfort from the audience.

I’ve been in Boy Scouts for several years now, and recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouting has not only been fun, but it’s been a terrific training ground for leadership. It taught me the value of each opinion in a group. It taught me to be reliable. And it reinforced what I’d already learned about honor. My scouting experiences helped keep me on a successful path.

Leadership skills will not be the only determining factor in a student’s successful college experience, but it’s helpful. Whether it’s on the football field, in a musical group, with a group of scouts, or in the classroom, the best leaders are those who lead by example, which is what I strive to do.