Discovering Leadership in the Students at the University of Washington

Throughout my journey at the University of Washington, I had begun understanding the importance of leadership. Coming in as a freshman, I had very little sense of how I could be a leader. I wasn't a known high-school star athlete, I wasn't a president of an ASB, nor was an even really involved in any major clubs that connected me with other high school students. I had little to no connect to any RSO's, nor was I involved in any form of student leadership. All this, the feeling of isolation lead me to struggling my transition. From high achieving to underperforming, I had lost my motivation. Then it all turned around when I enrolled into a General Studies class that probed me to find my passion and motivation. I wasn't alone in the process, I had a Tutor-Mentor and two really passionate instructors, whom of which became my mentors. It started from being a mentee discovering one's passion, to becoming a Higher Education Tutor-Mentor and guiding struggling students finding their passion, to this day, where I am an intern team member of the Academic Support Programs. I discovered leadership through my struggles, and I believe every single person can as well. I'll forever hold my belief of leadership to my passion of guiding others.

Learn more on the ASP website! http://depts.washington.edu/aspuw/

Leadership Competencies

Mentoring:

I can't claim to be an expert at being a high-achieving student at the University of Washington, but I do have the story of resiliency and grit to succeed after every failure. First being a Tutor-Mentor was a struggle, as I really wanted to see what is classified as a "miracle" quarter happen to my mentee, but this goal only caused more stress on myself and my mentee. Then I began to realize that mentoring wasn't about the results, but about the development and journey. For every mentoring experience I lead, I now always look improve the road and journey just as much as I look to shoot for the final destination.

Motivation:

Every student struggling at transition to the University of Washington often faces the dilemma of what their motivation is. I too have fallen into the trap of questioning of why and how I am at the University. From being a Tutor-Mentor and an intern team member under ASP, I really understood the importance of motivating students. Further, I understood the challenges of teaching this skill, especially as every student is motivated differently. Accepting that it will take many approaches to motivate a student is the start, and from then on the motivation will follow.

Reflection and Application:

With every mentoring session, I have always suggested the practice of reflection. Reflection allows both sides to go into deeper thought of the discussion that went on during the session, and then create much more fruitful discussions when reconvening. I learned the importance of reflection as Tutor-Mentors are required to have weekly write-ups. From writing them to now reading them for patterns and common issues shared among Tutor-Mentors, I have really began to appreciate the importance of reflection as it allows me to discover solutions to some of the issues the students struggling face.

Inclusion:

For all Tutor-Mentors and ASP Staff, the requirement of creating a space of inclusion is absolute. More than often, students struggling to transition to the University of Washington have a feeling of isolation and lack of belonging. It is vital then to be able to create the setting that removes that factor of their struggle in every session. I have just recently began developing my own ability and ability to guide others in doing so. I look forward, continuing with the internship to do so.

Listening:

A key component to the Higher Education Tutor-Mentoring program is listening. Often, most students believe that being able to tell and lecture is the key to mentoring, and often they disregard the importance of listening. Just as my mentors have listened to my questions and concerns, I have developed a niche for listening to my mentees needs. After ever session, I am able to recall nearly all of the discussion I had with me mentees and transcribe them for reference and also reflection.

Self-Development:

The last of the leadership competencies I have highlighted in this experience is self-development. I would have never been able to become an intern team member for ASP without the growth mindset and self-development. Every moment is a chance to learn, and as a leader in the Higher Education system, I do my best to make the most of these moments. Through ASP, I have really developed every day I have been a part of it. It all started with having the realization that I will continue to develop my ability to be a leader and my passions.