Reflective Essay
The American University School of Public Affairs Leadership Program is one that manages to combine the academic study of leadership with the active practice of it in our communities as well. It is very rare to be in the company of such a cadre of leaders concentrated in such an intimate setting. The program facilitates networking amongst all leaders from every year, and it promotes the practice of learning from each of them to develop strong leaders prepared to enter the political realm with a leg up on others. The social action project allows students the ability to identify problems they are most passionate about and find creative ways to make an imprint on the issue. All the while, students are encouraged to keep in mind the academic knowledge they have gained from the program.
On the topic of the academic side of SPA Leadership, there is a great deal that I was able to learn during the program. First, I thought I understood what leadership was in a general sense, but I quickly found out that I was mistaken. I learned of numerous types of leadership styles, and the application of them in the real world by analyzing certain leaders. I found the academic discourse to be very interesting, and of course, quite informative.
I have always known that you do not need to be the loudest in the room, or smartest or best at whatever it is you do to be a good leader. I, myself, am one of the leaders who tend to fly under the radar, hoping to lead by example, and through my work ethic. However, I never took initiative. But I found from my time in the leadership program that initiative needs to be taken from any leader, no matter the style. If you have no initiative, you cannot lead anyone anywhere. This program helped me realize that.
Similarly, I took away from the program that I need to take initiative in using the people I have available to me. I admittedly failed in my first social action project, and in my second social action project I refused to use connections I had, but in hindsight, I should have. I have then started to use my connections to help me obtain internships and other opportunities. This will be very helpful with the consideration that I now have a vast network available to me.
Leadership Growth
Over my time at American University, my definition of leadership has changed in the sense that I now understand the value of cultivating growth. I have been a member of a number of athletic teams, and while my coaches haven’t been the most formative leaders in my life, they have all focused on the growth aspect of the team. My time as a TA in the SPA Leadership taught me the need to cultivate the talent that my students demonstrated and try to do my part in making them the best leaders they could possibly be. Additionally, I understand the value of development as a student who was failing classes in high school, to making it to Oxford in my junior. Similarly, because of this change of definition, I have certainly become more aware of others, as opposed to myself in relation to leadership. I have never been the loudest in the room or the best at what I do, but I have always tried to lead by example. I have noticed that I now try to be attentive to others when trying to lead by example.
My time in the SPA Leadership Program has also helped me increase my collaborative ability. Understanding the needs of my issue group members in my first year was essential to our success. Being able to communicate tasks and concerns is absolutely essential, and being thrown into the fire, so to speak, in the first year of SPA Leadership has helped develop my communication capabilities. Additionally, my adaptable nature has been able to be honed further because of working in teams, and as a Teaching Assistant. As a TA I needed to help students in multiple different scenarios, all of which were unfamiliar to me.
From my four years at American University, I have been able to build my theoretical and practical knowledge of leadership. Outside of the leadership program, I have analyzed public policy leaders and people in power and understood their role in times of conflict. I have analyzed the organizational structures that helped them make the most effective decisions, who they surrounded themselves with and their decision-making process. This says nothing of all of the leadership theories I was able to learn in the SPA Leadership program. I was then able to draw on both and try to use it in my own leadership style and try to instill it on those that I have had influence over.
Leadership is not just being in a position of power, that much has been made clear by my time learning leadership practices. It is about, as I mentioned before, surrounding yourself with the people who allow you to make the right decisions not only in high-stakes situations but throughout your life. It is also being able to look internally, finding your flaws, and being able to learn from your mistakes. It is this aspect that takes the most work but will help develop individuals into strong leaders.
Bouncing off of this introspection, I have been able to amend some of my shortcomings during my time at American University. While I may not have taken initiative earlier on during my time in DC, I believe I have been able to do so in my last few years. I applied to the University of Oxford, something I couldn’t even imagine as a freshman, I have applied for numerous internship positions, accepting two in my last two years, and I have applied to be a TA. Each of these experiences has been absolutely transformative in my development as a leader.
Leadership Experiences Compilation
Type of Experience: Coursework
Name of Experience: University of Oxford Study Abroad
Date or Time Frame: October 2019 – June 2020
Description: When I first attended American University, I knew I wanted to study abroad. The school promoted its programs in Belgium, Spain, Rome, and Nairobi as the opportunities that were most popular amongst the student body. However, as a sophomore, I saw an opportunity that I never thought I would even be able to consider as a Freshman – attending the University of Oxford for an entire academic year. At every turn, people told me that it was going to be the toughest year of my life, that it may be too hard, and that I shouldn’t set my expectations so high. However, I did, and I was able to flourish in my year at Oxford. I was able to make lifelong friends, excel academically, and come back with one of the best experiences of my life. I persevered through a pandemic, and through learning an entirely new educational system, all of which are valuable leadership abilities.
Type of Experience: Involvement with on-campus or off-campus organizations
Name of Experience: Mastercard Law, Franchise and Integrity – Public Policy Intern
Date or Time Frame: June-July 2020
Description: I was able to obtain an internship during the summer in the midst of the COVID pandemic. By this time, I had known multiple people who passed away amidst the lockdown, and morale was very low. Additionally, the internship itself was cut from 10 weeks to 4 weeks, and a number of the opportunities during the internship were slashed. Regardless, Mastercard made the internship rewarding, insightful and a great learning experience to take part in. I was able to showcase my adaptable nature during such a complicated time, where Mastercard itself was ironing out some kinks. Additionally, I showed great initiative, as I took on multiple projects that were not part of my job description while having COVID myself during the internship.
Type of Experience: Involvement with on-campus or off-campus organizations
Name of Experience: Second Year Teaching Assistant in SPA Leadership Program
Date or Time Frame: August 2020-May 2021
Description: Being a second-year TA was a great experience and opportunity for me to really develop my leadership capabilities. I was able to leave a lasting impact on my students, as they were able to do on me as well. Most notably, I greatly improved my communicative abilities, and my ability to convey important and time-sensitive information. I also learned the valuable lesson of cultivating talent. I was able to help my students look deeper and tap into their capabilities when they didn’t necessarily think it was possible. I did so through encouragement and guidance.
Type of Experience: Involvement with on-campus or off-campus organizations
Name of Experience: Communication and Legislative Affairs Intern at the Connecticut Insurance Department
Date or Time Frame: January–April 2021
Description: Interning at the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID), really taught me a lot about time management. Managing a full semester course load, all while interning three days a week was a lot to handle and a lot of responsibility. Because of this I further developed my communicative abilities especially with my boss at the CID. We needed to be on the same page for all of the press releases and for all of the projects we had, so clear and effective communication was essential.