Community

CLP+Leadership+Is+Statements+2024.pdf

Leadership Is...

As a capstone for our time in CLP, seniors are tasked with writing a “Leadership Is” statement. This is our brief definition of leadership that encapsulates all that we have learned in this unique program. This compiled list of leadership definitions from my classmates reminds me of the gratitude for being a part of this learning community. It has been a beautiful experience getting to grow alongside the members of my CLP cohort. I am honored to know them and excited to see all they accomplish.

Writing my leadership is statement felt like a daunting task. How do I summarize everything I have learned about leadership into two sentences? I thought back to my final paper from my first semester in the program. I had written a personal leadership philosophy and summarized my leadership as "Gentle Leadership". To honor what I had written in that philosophy and what had guided my leadership in the last few years, I incorporated the principles of my gentle leadership into this definition.

Leadership is a gentle force rather than an overbearing one. It is softly yet impactfully pushing others towards living out their fullest potential.

CLP Retreat

Growing up in ministry, retreats have always been special to me. To attend a retreat is to pause on everyday life and step away. Though it is not a spiritual experience, I find the CLP retreat to be a deeply sacred memory for me at Gonzaga. Each year, the retreat allows students to come together from all grade levels. We spend the first part of the retreat on campus developing our leadership skills through various activities. Then, we bus up to Bozarth mansion and build the community that is CLP. I have fond memories doing interpretive dances in classrooms, racing around campus in scavenger hunts, and staying up late in the halls of Bozarth. At this most recent retreat, I vividly remember sitting in the old parlor room of the mansion while everyone was running around paying games. I looked around and took in just how special it was to be sitting in that spot with this community. I felt a wave of gratitude for CLP knowing these are precious moments I would not get if not for this program. Going back to Bozarth year after year reminds me of all the growth I have experienced since being there last. Following the CLP retreat, I feel myself fill with confidence and the smile lines near my eyes have deepened ever so slightly.

TA Lesson Plan

For the last class of the semester, I got to produce the lesson plan with my fellow TA without professor input. It was a way for us to put our TA skills into full practice.

Leadership Internship

When deciding on a CLP elective, I really wanted mine to serve as a way to stay connected to the CLP community. I applied to be a Teaching Assistant for LDRS 325 because of how impactful my experience was with the Emotional Intelligence unit. I was excited to dive back into the material of the class in this new role. I was also excited to get the experience of being at the front of a classroom, as education is a career path I am still discerning.

My biggest takeaway as a TA was leading through relationships. Many of the students in my class were already friends that I had made through CLP or other areas of campus. As a TA, I really got to lean into these pre-existing relationships while building new ones. I realized through this experience that leading through relationships does not mean that I am going to have the same relationship with every student. It means that I am available to each student in the way that they need.

I am grateful for the time I got to spend with the 2026 Cohort. I was inspired by their deep questions and vulnerability. I thank them for letting me into their space and helping me stay connected to the CLP community. It was also such a treat to get to know Kelsey and Kristin, my professors, and Claire, my fellow TA.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse