Three Strong Women by Kasey

Three Strong Women by Kasey - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

“How am I supposed to know?!”

That was my first thought when considering the question of whether or not leadership skills are essential to college success. For one thing, I’m a freshman. I’ve been a college student for all of seven months, and though I’ve grown and learned a lot in those seven months, I can’t say for sure that I truly understand the essence and intrinsic value of success as it relates to college.

So, instead of trying to understand the definition of college success, I decided instead to think of who I believed embodied that idea of success. Three strong women came to mind.

First, I thought of my sister, Kiersten. Kiersten is in her senior year at Temple University, and is on track to graduate in May 2015. At Temple, she has had success academically, socially, emotionally, and professionally. That success has been a result of several factors. For one thing, she has had the courage to pursue her passion - nursing. She is a top student in her class, and, because of her intelligence, she was invited to partake in the Nursing Scholars Program, which is an early-acceptance graduate program. In addition to the success she has achieved through her academic skills, she has achieved even more success through her leadership skills. For example, she has served Temple as a Resident Assistant. During this job, she is in charge of disciplining, guiding, and, yes, leading, the residents toward healthy lifestyles and good decisions. Each day, she inspires students to pursue their academic passions and to use their talents to help others. Balancing her duties as an RA, a graduate nursing student, and a student-athlete has not always been easy for her. However, she has been able to achieve because of her drive to lead others to make good choices with their lives. Her ability to set the precedent and lead the crowd have led her to success. And when she graduates in May, she will be well on her way to an amazing future because of her leadership skills.

The next “leading lady” I thought of who has had great success in college is Maria Papocost. Last year, during her freshman year, she ran for the Division I Temple Owls Cross Country and Track Teams. However, after a year, she decided it wasn’t for her. Though her formal athletic career was over, she was still committed to the idea of exercise and health that she had learned about during her time as a student athlete. Because she wanted to spread these ideas and inform others about the importance of being healthy, she started the Health and Fitness Club. HFC is Temple University’s first student organization committed to and centered on the idea of healthy living. Like any great leader, Maria is able to lead the members of the club without being arrogant or authoritarian. While she also focuses on academics, and is involved in many organizations to help her with her professional life, her leadership skills have allowed her to spend many of her undergraduate days devoted to helping others be their best selves. And in my mind, that is the true definition of success.

And finally, when I think of success, I think of Amy Drasen. Amy is a Tourism and Hospitality Management major, and has great academic success. But most of all, she has had success through her leadership, especially through her position as Event Coordinator for Temple University Student Activities. For this job, one of the many things she is in charge of is planning an event called Free Food Fun Friday. The purpose of the event is to encourage to students to hang out and socialize in a safe environment on Friday nights, as opposed to partying with drugs and alcohol. Because of her leadership and support, the event has grown, drawing hundreds of students each week. Above all, Amy is kind, generous, and makes everyone feel included and loved. These positive traits have led many students, including myself, to avoid the temptation of alcohol and drugs, and focus on the importance of friendship and community.

In my mind, these three women each embody the idea of success. They have used their passions and talents to help others - and they have done it through their leadership.

Because of the example of these three women, I have learned what a successful college student looks like. He/she is courageous, passionate, bright, and caring. He/she has a strong grip on who they are, and is dedicated to helping others. Above all, he/she knows how to lead.

Because of the examples of these three women, I have learned that leadership skills are essential to college success. This success comes in many different forms: It could be an A in a class, or a job offer on graduation day. It could be a medal at a sports event or a trophy at a scholastic competition. It could be a smile from a student who looks up to you. Whatever my version of success is, I know that it is not possible without the courage to lead. And I intend to spend every day of my college career leading, helping, and growing, just like these three successful women did.