Leadership as Passion, Collaboration, and Dialogue

I’m a junior student in zoology and molecular biology. I am also the co-president of African School Advancement Program (ASAP). This organization is dedicated to advancing primary and secondary education in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Tanzania, and domestically to enhancing cross-cultural understanding and raising awareness of the education crisis in Africa. My position as president of ASAP has allowed me the opportunity to apply and put to practice leadership techniques that I have gained as a result of my time as a Scholar Leader and through my involvement with Wilks Leadership Institute. The incredible people in these two communities have taught me a wealth about leadership and how it is most successfully practiced. Leadership is about passion. Leadership is about collaboration. And leadership is about dialogue.

After spending a month in Tanzania as a volunteer teaching English I became intimately aware of the toll of the education crisis, which is so prevalent in many countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. Reflecting on my experiences I developed a passion for this cause that I wanted to share and voice. Despite seemingly unbridgeable boundaries between culture, background, and even language, I have joined the students and teachers of Ngyeku Primary School in our shared passion and vision for advancing these students’ education opportunities. As current co-president of Miami’s African School Advancement Program I hope that my excitement for this cause and belief in the impact we can make will filter into our new members and the Miami community. In sharing responsibility, my co-president and I have established an excellent dynamic of cooperation that has been hugely successful. We are constantly encouraging each other and reminding each other of how appreciative we are of what the other can contribute. Part of this involves an understanding and intuition of the other, realizing when offering commitment and stepping up to handle a particular task is necessary. Being honest with yourself and others about what you can handle is also critical.

Collaboration goes much further than merely between two co-presidents; it involves all members as having unique and insightful perspectives to contribute as a sum of their individuality. As a leader it is vital to promote an environment of dialogue. This environment facilitates active and engaged discussion that views each contributor as an equal and important piece of the dialogue. It is incredible to see what ideas and insights may be surfaced through a group of individuals dedicated to dialogue. The Scholar Leader community taught me much about how collaboration leads to successful and meaningful dialogue. As a community structured not around one specific passion or interest but around the common ideals of engagement, motivation, encouragement, and intellectual growth and discussion - these ideals are able to transcend specific interests and allow a dynamic and vibrant community of individuals the opportunity to interact and learn from each other. This is a model we should all strive to follow in our involvements!

-Caitlin Troyer