WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER?

"Leadership, to me, is about building a backbone of support that allows everyone to succeed. This means creating systems for an organization’s longevity rather than only thinking about immediate outcomes." 

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

"A problem I personally witnessed in my community is how wealth inequality negatively affects civic participation. Before transferring to the University of Maryland, I attended Rutgers University where I was selected for the Bonner Leader Scholarship, the largest service-based college scholarship in the nation. Growing up as a low-income student, civic engagement always took a back seat to working part-time jobs to support myself during college. The scholarship afforded me the opportunity to be paid for volunteering in my community. For the first time, I saw how removing economic barriers enabled not only my own participation but also allowed students from similar backgrounds to contribute to their community." 

TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE THAT INSPIRES YOU?

"The quote, 'If education doesn’t teach you to resist injustice, it has failed,' by John Dewey, has become a guiding principle in my journey as a community-engaged student leader. It reminds me that education is not merely a pathway to personal success, but a responsibility to create meaningful change. While financial stability and professional achievement are important, Dewey’s words challenge me to ensure that the knowledge I gain is used in service of positive change rather than just myself. This inspired me to pursue an Economics degree, studying the systems of finance to create opportunities for communities in need."