Taking Initiative by Elise

Taking Initiative by Elise - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leadership is all about having a vision of where you want to be in life and working to achieve that vision you have in mind. Leaders are strategic, are effective at problem solving, are good with time management, are self motivating, and have developed people skills and communication. At the American Academy of Art, the college I currently attend, these leadership skills are essential to college success. Without them, there is little to no chance of surviving in the real world.

At the American Academy of Art students strive to gain employable skills, the skills of a leader. Every student that attends this school has a dream in mind and a yearning to be successful. But for a student to be successful, they must be able to influence an employer or a client to choose their work over all others. This is no easy task.

Strategically, a student must learn what a potential employer or client is interested in. A student can then create works that will appeal to said employer or client. With problem solving skills a student can overcome the obstacles of having an employer or client reject their works by creating a new set of pieces that are more suitable based on their best judgement. Students that are capable at managing time are more likely to be hired, so long as they continue to produce quality work in a timely manner.

In the art world self motivation is key, especially in the commercial aspect. Competition is unrelenting, and without any motivation students will fall through the cracks and eventually give up entirely. Developing people skills and communication is also essential for students. Networking is a student’s gateway to success. Creating connections with a multitude of employers and clients allows a student to have more options as well as more job opportunities to come and go.

All of these skills apply equally to any other school someone may have in mind. Success takes initiative, no matter who you are or where you are going. If a student strives toward their vision and takes that first step, they have the potential to become something great in that very moment. But to be truly successful they must attain the skills of a leader and not stray from their path. Success is all about having a vision of where you want to be in life and working to achieve that vision you have in mind.