WHAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUALITY OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER?

"When considering how to create powerful change, it must be led by someone who can center the mission more than themselves and their role in it. Leadership calls for long-term planning, considering a future where they may not be the ones managing the project. A successful leader should also be open to evaluating their own biases in the development of their work. Leadership requires self-awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses so they can be supplemented by a team that complements them well. It also necessitates the humility to recognize these traits, delegate responsibilities to those who specialize in them, and remain receptive to the decisions those individuals make."

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

"As a Baltimore resident who has now had the experience of entering the Baltimore school system to tutor, I have come to understand that many students are struggling immensely with the content. Baltimore City’s elementary schools' proficiency rates in English and Math stand at 31.2% and 12.6%, respectively (from last year's MCAP, according to the Baltimore Banner). This stands out as particularly alarming, as these are the fundamental skills needed for collegiate careers and even daily operational life...Many students don’t have parents who have time to help them with their schoolwork, and teachers who are overwhelmed and thus are forced to do what a child should never have to do- fend for themselves. I hope to use my organizational skills to address the correlations and resources of Loyola students and faculty to work towards progress with these issues."

TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE THAT INSPIRES YOU?

"The quote that I’ve chosen is from the book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. The quote comes from a conversation between the main character, 15-year-old Charlie, and his English teacher, Mr. Hamilton. Charlie expresses feelings of inadequacy in his social relationships that were often shaped by his trauma and left him disoriented. In response to this expression of desperation, his teacher offers up these words: 'We accept the love we think we deserve.' This quote resonates with me beyond the intended use of relationship advice, but on the dignity of people - we often see that marginalized people can begin to think that their ceiling is substantially lower than others with more opportunity and will oftentimes not be explored to their potential. The Ignatian teaching focuses on care for the whole person, but I push it to stretch, exploring how it can help a person understand care for themselves."