WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER?

"Empathy is the quintessential quality that any inspiring leader needs to master when leading an effective team. When someone you are working with is having a hard time, you need to be able to relate to and understand what they are going through to inspire and provide assistance. Empathy also plays a role in conflict management; when multiple parties conflict, you must be able to grasp the circumstances to mediate the situation. I try to be empathetic to people's struggles and situations every day."

WHAT'S A COMMUNITY-BASED ISSUE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT?

"A problem in my community is the lack of voter turnout during elections, especially among younger people. While this may not at first seem like a massive problem, its consequences are vast...Those who are being hurt worse are younger people like me, who just are not registering to vote and do not have the will to do so. The main cause behind this, as I see it, is a lack of awareness around issues and the belief that their vote does not matter. To attempt to counter this, I have undergone voter registration distributor training and have been added to the supplementary list for poll judges. My goal is to set up voter drives in areas where people really need them, places where I can meet my community's needs."

TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE THAT INSPIRES YOU?

"Recently, in my leadership class, we did a student discussion board on Mahatma Gandhi. While I know the name and had a basic understanding of the why behind his importance, diving into his life gave me a much better understanding of what servant leadership looks like and how leading by example can inspire millions of people. What stuck with me the most was his quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This has inspired me to change myself in ways I wish others would. I spoke earlier about the desire for people to be more politically active, and for a while, I would say that without personally embodying those traits. Well, in the past month, I have taken steps to become a political member of society who tries to fight for the changes they want to see. My goal is to try to live my life in a manner that makes a positive change, no matter where I go."