Former Student Spotlight
Current Job
Director of Community Outreach and Inclusion at Texas A&M University
Current Location
College Station, TX
MSC Involvement
MSC LEAD, MSC FLC, MSC President
What skills did you gain in your involvement with the MSC and how did your time as a student leader prepare you for your future leadership roles?
There is so much I learned in the MSC that I carry with me today, not least of which was learning to work with people who are different from yourself. My time in the MSC didn’t just prepare me for the future, it actually shaped what I decided to do post-college. When I arrived at A&M, I fully intended to go to Vet School after graduation. I was an Animal Science major, did all the “right” things to prepare me to be a strong applicant, and then as I began my last year, I realized that serving others was what really drove me. I fell in love with being of service, and the mission of Teach for America called me to become a science teacher in South Dallas. That choice led to a career serving students and their families as a teacher and principal, and, more recently, to impacting mission-driven organizations through strategic planning and vision operationalization. I could talk at length about all of the leadership lessons and small moments that prepared me for this journey, but it really was the cumulative effect of learning to lead, to serve others, and to work towards the greater good that changed the way I saw myself and what I could offer to others after graduation.
What is one of your favorite memories from being involved in the MSC?
There were so many good times; practical jokes with Luke, grandmothering by Jane, hours spent planning for programs, and deep conversations about the future with advisors. One of my favorite memories from the MSC was actually from my time as a Director in MSC LEAD. It was during a time when support for the military in the Middle East was beginning to wane, and I wanted to do something to show support to those folks overseas. My co-director and I planned a collection drive and called it “Whoop for Troops.” We put boxes all across campus and around town and collected donations that we then sent to service members in Afghanistan. That experience of seeing a need and being empowered to come up with a way to address it was really transformational as an emerging student leader. That whole experience really highlights the way that the MSC cultivates leadership skills - allowing students to take initiative and risk failing in an environment that is safe and supportive. I hope all Aggies have the opportunity to learn from experiences like that.