Summary of Project:
As a member of the Education and Empowerment team in the School of Public Affairs Leadership Program, I worked with six other women to develop a project to combat some of the negative effects of COVID-19 on education. After completing extensive research about the impact of the pandemic on academic progress, mental health, and all services provided by schools from a safe space to food to counseling to community to academics, our group began seeking ways to address these problems according to the specific needs of a DC community. We chose to partner with the local nonprofit, SOUL (Student-Athletes Organized to Understand Leadership) to help them in their work to empower DC athletes in underserved wards in DC. We were able to provide them with $450 and some athletic equipment to help them with run a summer camp for these youth, something so vital especially during the isolating times the pandemic has created. We are so happy with how the project turned out and invite you to look through the following slides presentation for more information.
A reflection on the team dynamics of your group during the implementation phase of your project. A reflection on your growth as a leader at American University this past academic year.
Working in a team while hundreds of miles away and during a global pandemic was an experience to say the least and brought its own host of challenges. Although I am no stranger to group projects and the dynamic was overall positive, there was something new about when a teammate decided during the meeting was the best time to cook dinner, or go for a walk, or straighten their hair or do their makeup, it felt so blatantly disrespectful, and something that really would not happen in person. There were also of course tech difficulties as people experienced storms or power outages, and also the stress of living in a pandemic in different time zones and people forgetting to come to meetings. All these things were frustrating to say the least, especially because I, along with one or two others, tended to take on the work of those who forgot or felt personally responsible for keeping everything in line. It was sometimes hard to see the different level of time and commitment people put towards the project, but I also learned that that is part of what a group project is. Everyone needs to have buy-in to the final result and a common goal in order for the team to function well. By the end of the project, I was very pleased with how everything turned out and the way people came forward with the effort they could contribute. I am grateful for my team and the way we were able to grow together as leaders. I also learned to voice my opinion even when it was unpopular to one or two louder voices in the group, because I was often voicing the opinion of others who did not feel ready to speak up. I was grateful for all of these dynamics and learning to be a stronger leader who uses her voice respectfully and productively and is able to successfully delegate work and earn the respect of her peers.
Overall, this year I have grown tremendously as a leader because I have realized how to trust my teammates, and understand that I have to be willing to give my opinion even when it opposes a friend’s. I realized that leadership and action matter in a group, but that in a group of leaders, collaboration is even more important. Something I hope to work on more is confrontation as it was difficult for me to bring up some of the circumstances that bothered me in our group dynamic discussed above, and I really wish I could have been more assertive in bringing those concerns to the table. That being said, I am grateful for how I have grown as I continue to be the hard-working, compassionate, and respectful leader that I am.