Stepping Stones to Success by Rachael

Stepping Stones to Success by Rachael - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Of all of the lessons that my University has instilled in me, there is one that I am most grateful for: Be the change that you would like to see in the world.

I have had the honor of spending my college experience at Stockton University, a small liberal arts University in Southern New Jersey. Because of its intimate nature, I have been given the opportunity to lead and participate in several events and organizations that have strengthened who I am as a leader. My freshman year at Stockton, I was approached about serving on the Relay for Life committee. Relay for Life is a 12 or 24 hour event meant to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Proceeds raised at this event are then used for research, preventative screenings, patient outreach, patient lodging and transportation, and educational programming. I served as the Survivor Recognition Chair, and together with the rest of my committee, we were able to raise over $26,000 for the American Cancer Society. I have had the honor of serving as the Student Event Chair for the last two years, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to have served as a community leader at Stockton.

My position as the Relay for Life Student Event Chair has allowed me to channel my passion for cancer research and survivor outreach into a cause with great impact-the Stockton community has raised over $40,000 for cancer research in just three years of fundraising. This leadership opportunity has further strengthened my desire to pursue medicine and become a pediatric oncologist. I have had hands on experience interacting with cancer survivors and providing information for those seeking services from the American Cancer Society.

Relay for Life has allowed me to break out of my shell. Three years ago, I would have broken into a sweat even thinking about addressing a room of hundreds of people. I know that my experience serving as a speaker at Relay events and interacting with the Stockton Community to recruit teams has strengthened my networking abilities. Networking is crucial to any professional endeavor, and I am now confident in conversing with others as I prepare for medical school interviews.

Most importantly, Relay for Life has reminded me of the importance of helping others. Leadership is the willingness and the ability to place the needs of others before your own interests. While the late night script revisions, day-of altercations, and hours of preparation may have overwhelmed me at times, Relay has kept me grounded and reminded me of all that I have to be thankful for. I have learned from my experiences as Event Chair that nothing is impossible. As daunting or unobtainable a cure may seem, I will never allow the odds against us to doubt my confidence that there will be a cure for cancer in our lifetimes. Relay for Life has motivated me to maintain unwavering commitment and hope to a cause that is incredibly important to me. This motivation has carried on to my academic life in my relentless endeavor to achieve admission into a medical school.

College students often become so engulfed in their studies that they forget to contribute to a cause that is important to them. I believe that stepping up into a leadership position-whatever it may be-will leave everlasting impacts on a student’s academic success, networking abilities, and drive to succeed. As Stockton’s President, Herman Saatkamp, likes to remind his students, we are the future. Let’s create a bright one.