Alumni Essay 36

From sitting in the corner of all my classes to making significant decisions with a team; first stepping into the program I thought it was about having all the right answers. I leave knowing that is not the case. I have learned that leadership isn’t just a title, but a transformation. It’s about the shift that occurs within one’s self that ignites the subtle but seismic changes in perspective and action. Looking back at my short but promising time in the program, I leave understanding that it is more about asking the right questions for others and myself, and using that knowledge to grow, to apply it to my life where it is needed. One of my teachers, whom I have garnered a lot of my leadership from, always said “Knowledge without application is only trivia.” Growth for me has meant trading certainty for curiosity, a vulnerability of  “unknowing” or “I don’t know” disguised in a sense where one must know everything. And that is simply not possible. Having the humility to say “I don’t know” and sacrificing comfortability is the necessary foundation for acquiring new wisdom and understanding. That being said, I have also learned to trade control for collaboration and performance for purpose. This has taught me that being a leader is not about standing at the front of the room but about standing firmly in my values and what I believe is right, not solely for my benefit but for those around me.This program has reshaped me in ways I thought were impossible and have been carried in the way I listen, my response to pressure, and how I measure impact. Growing more comfortable with my vulnerability–something once untouchable to me, has made me more intentional with my influence. It has fostered an awareness in me that leadership is practiced in small and consistent moments, not just big ones. Moving forward with my life, I will use the small but powerful voice I have acquired through this program and the students around me, to create future spaces where others feel seen, challenged, and empowered to lead their own path. I believe people often mistake legacies in the mold of money, fame, or our sole accomplishments, but it is rather more about who you are as you are accomplishing those things. Legacies aren’t optional. We are all leaving one every single day, positive or negative, just like consequences. To me, “Leaving a legacy” is not solely based on titles, awards, or recognitions, legacy is every life you touch. It’s about the butterfly effect, where one small insignificant or disregarded action leads to a life-altering impact. To me legacy is my immigrant parents who sacrificed their dreams and lives for mine. This sole sacrifice has provided an immense amount of opportunities for generations to come. Although I am young and navigating through life, merging into adulthood, the phrase or constant notion of, “You have to be successful so you can have a legacy” leaves me with the question, what is mine? The more I grow the more I realize the key to success is simply perspective. Once I realized this, there is nothing I can’t do. My legacy is the unconditional love, kindness, and understanding that I somehow shared and will reverberate through the ends of time. I hope it is found within the strangers I’ve complimented, people I’ve listened to, dogs I’ve pet, and the jokes my friends have laughed at, and I consider that a great success. True legacy is modeled when no one is watching, so if I can leave behind stronger people, authenticity, culture and integrity, then I know my leadership mattered.