What I Did

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Served as a senator for the University of Cincinnati (UC) Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). This was my first leadership position in a student organization at the college level. I engaged in weekly Executive Board and Senate Zone meetings, planned and coordinated the logistics of our Fall Regional Conference (FRC) in Chicago, Illinois, and traveled with the UC delegation to participate in FRC. I also served as a mentor to two freshman students, Nahom and Chris, through two different mentorship programs on campus (NSBE and Darwin T. Turner Scholarship Program).

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What I Learned

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There is so much going on behind the scenes that it is amazing things actually get done. Having new responsibilities is difficult due to the schedule adjustments alone. Not to mention the mental capacity required to stay engaged and on top of your game. I was reminded of how taxing it is to be in a position where you must take action and make decisions that affect a large group of people. It is always easy to judge and criticize someone’s actions, decisions, or plan, but it feels different when you are on the other side.

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At the same time, I learned very valuable lessons and gained key insights into working in a group, in real life. Having done all that I did during co-op, it really made me aware of how important it is to have strong work ethic and be a great team player. At some points, there are moments where you must step up and get the job done, or else it won’t get done and there will be a negative impact on you and those around you. Being in a team has lots of pros, but a major con is that if team members are not all contributing at the same level, then issues and difficulties arise because it impacts everyone involved. Another con is that if there are many members in a team but there is a lack of protocol and effective communication, then it can be hard to get things done in a timely manner. Of course, one of the largest pros of teamwork is that there is a community of people with diverse skills and background that are all working towards a common goal. When it comes to certain problems or situations, it is almost impossible to succeed without effective teamwork. This is why I think having experience with teams is always a plus.

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I learned that there are always things that you can learn from people, no matter the dynamic of the relationship. Having two freshmen as mentees, there were logically some things that I have experience with which I shared with them since they simply haven’t been in the college environment for as long as I have. However, there were also things that I learned from them by just interacting and being engaged. If I had not gone into the mentor position with an open mindset, I doubt that it would have worked out as it did, and I would have missed out on some great lessons, experiences, and relationships.

 

How It Impacted Me

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This experience gave me a more advanced experience of real-world leadership within a committee and organization than I have ever had before, and I really enjoyed it. Juggling co-op, which was essentially full-time work, with the responsibilities from NSBE was an experience that I can build from. This is especially true because of the success that I had while working towards one of my goals for this experience which was to speak to at least 30 new people outside of UC. In order to do this, I had to be willing to talk to other people that I didn’t know, rather than stick with some people I already knew from UC. By completing that goal, I not only stepped out of my comfort zone, but also gained some new relationships with my peers at other institutions around the country, from the University of Toledo to the University of Notre Dame. Being reminded that there are plenty of people like me going through similar situations increased my confidence and it gave me a different perspective on leadership, at all levels. It helped me realize that leadership involves the willingness to step up from the crowd and take on the additional responsibilities that the majority of others cannot do or would rather avoid.

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While this was a goal specifically for FRC, going above my usual effort to speak to others and make new friends, or network, is something that I will continue to work at, during future conferences and in everyday life. For me, it is especially easy to just coast and not do anything overly challenging, so it is important to have goals in multiple areas that remind me to push myself forward and not stay put in my current surroundings. Being a senator for NSBE while also serving as a mentor was part of my effort to make some positive self-improvement. The way I see it, in the future, there may be times when I will be required to focus on things outside of my main priorities, so gaining any exposure possible on balancing commitments seems like a plus to me.

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This experience also reminded me of how much I like to help other people. I really enjoy making a positive impact on people’s lives whenever I have the chance. Both of my mentees were very cool, and I enjoyed working with them and I look forward to seeing all the awesome things that they will do. While this experience was only for the Fall semester, I will continue into the Spring semester with similar responsibilities, while transferring from co-op back into classes. After this school year, I have a decision as to how much I want to take on for the next one. However, one thing I know is that I want to continue being a part of NSBE, mentoring underclassman, and just being engaged in student organizations. One goal of mine with respect to my mentorship experience was to encourage both of my mentees to become as engaged within UC as possible. As a result of his own interests and me sharing my experiences, Chris, my NSBE mentee, is planning to join our chapter as we travel to Atlanta this Spring for NSBE’s 50th annual convention. This makes me feel glad that I was able to make a positive difference and succeed in my goal.

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While being a leader is not necessarily determined by a title, I have really enjoyed my time as a NSBE Senator. Looking ahead to future academic years, even if I do not end up pursuing an official leadership position in NSBE or another organization, I can still be a leader with my attitude, presence, and overall actions. At one point, I almost wished that I had done more within UC earlier in my academic career, but I believe that God has me on the path that is best for me. With that, I can be thankful for the journey thus far and be joyful and hopeful for all of the future experiences to come.