Leading

I can not count the number of leadership seminars and workshops I attended during High School.These seminars coming from being an officer for my local FFA and NHS chapters, as well as a leader for summer reading program and Vacation Bible School in my home community of Red Cloud, Nebraska.  Coming to college I thought I had a pretty firm handle on leadership, however, my leadership world was turned upside down the first time I was in front of twenty-two first graders all of them looking up at me expecting me to lead them through an English-Language Arts lesson.

Since that day, I have realized I still have a lot to learn about being a leader. Being a member of the track team here at Concordia has given me countless opportunities to grow as a leader. My Junior year (2017-2018) I was blessed to be voted team captain. As a captain I led workouts when coaches were unable, organized team events, and overall was a role model for my teammates. This experience taught me that leadership does not go away on the bad days or weak moments. Even when I had a bad day at a track meet I had to be there to encourage and set a positive example for my teammates. I have been able to continue to learn and grow in this position as my teammates graciously voted me captain again for the 2018-2019 season.

My final two years at Concordia, I have served as residential assistant. In this position I am a facilitator in building community and strong relationships, a planner and organizer of a variety of events, and an enforcer of the rules and policies that Concordia has in place. This job as given a great deal of leadership experience while teaching me the reasons that rules are put into place, and how to respect, model, and enforce these rules even when I do not necessarily agree with them.  The position of RA has also taught me a great deal about confidentiality and being a mandated reporter. I have learned how to have a conversation with a person that ensures their safety and keeps their trust even when having to report certain situation.

Working at a summer camp is an experience that I would highly encourage to anyone. I have served three years at Camp Luther of Nebraska. Two of those years I served as a cabin counselor and the final year I served as a program assistant. Summer camp teaches and develops distinctly Christian leadership. It has taught me how to serve in a Christ-like manner and be humble in leadership. Being a counselor taught me how to greet, develop relationships with, and facilitate a group of young girls in a very short time. I only had one week at most with my cabins. It was in this time that I learned effective management strategies that work not only at a summer camp but in a classroom.  During my time as a program assistant I learned much more about behind the scenes leadership. I discovered that leadership was not always being up in front of a group of people but rather behind them, able to be the base of support that they needed, to always fall back on when something went wrong, or to celebrate with when something went right.