Putting the Pieces of Leadership into Place

BY DIVYA PATEL, PSYCHOLOGY & CRIMINOLOGY, CLASS OF ‘23

STARTING COLLEGE IS LIKE LOOKING AT A thousand-piece puzzle poured out on the table. It can be intimidating at first but with personal investment you will have something beautiful to look back on. As students, we are the individual pieces, each uniquely shaped by personal experiences and passions, seeking to find where we fit in. For me, taking on various student leadership positions within the Judy Genshaft Honors College helped me find my place within this niche community.

At first, it was daunting to think I could be a student leader. The concept of leadership carried a sense of responsibility that I wasn’t prepared for and I wasn’t sure how to get started. However, after witnessing firsthand the welcoming community of honors students and seeing how supportive everyone is of each other, I took on the trifecta: resident assistant for the Honors LLC, Peer Mentor for the Honors Foundations program, and co-chair for the JGHC Student Council Volunteering Committee. In each of these positions, I learned about myself, connected with various groups of people, and found a sense of belonging amidst the larger USF community.

Each of these leadership roles carried responsibilities for my own contributions and responsibilities to those counting on me for support. But rather than being weighed down by the title “leader,” I instead learned that leadership really boils down to forging connections with others. As an RA, I remember staying up late at night baking cheesecake and playing golden goose in the pod. I felt proud of creating these moments where people felt at home with each other.

While working with first-year Honors students in my Peer Mentor role, I collaborated with an amazing group of peers and faculty that have been supportive and encouraging of my own passions and ambitions. Likewise, I’ve gotten to do the same by being a support system for my group of first-year students as they navigated their first semester in college.

Finally, the JGHC Student Council introduced me to some of the most talented, funny, and compassionate people. I will cherish the memories we made playing virtual trivia with older adults at assisted living facilities because it was then that I realized the Honors community transcended the social barriers that Covid brought us. Our commonalities connected us with each other despite being online in different states and parts of the world.

College offers so many opportunities to learn about yourself, others, and the world around you. The sheer size can make it overwhelming to find your place and get started, but I have found that connecting my individual puzzle pieces with others that click helped me to forge meaningful relationships and create a beautiful image of my college experience. I encourage all new students to take a risk and do the same!