Leadership through Mentorship

When deciding to pursue Graduating with Leadership Distinction (GLD) through the Professional and Civic Engagement pathway it was important for me not to overlook my civic engagement. This Key Insight will directly relate to the civic engagement portion. I say that because here at Carolina, we are taught that leaders help those around us. This can be done in many ways such as serving as an Orientation Leader, a Resident Mentor (RM), or even a volunteering on an outreach project. Serving as a mentor is a way to offer a helping hand that builds leadership skills. Merriam-Webster defines mentor as “a trusted counselor or guide.” This is important to note because of the word trust. A mentor is someone that you trust with personal information and you trust that they will guide or advise you on the right thing to do.

Mentoring beyond the classroom has been an integral part of my college career. One experience was speaking to the Male Call students at Kelly Mill Middle School students during the Fall 2018 semester. The Male Call program is a program for middle school males to prepare them for high school and gain insight on college. These students were given tours of UofSC in February so that they could get a feel for what an actual college campus felt like before they matriculate to high school. Through this experience, I learned how essential it is to give back to younger students and how to be a tangible role model. Middle school students are at an age where they are still developing, so for them to actually see and talk to college students I’m sure made an impact. I did not have this type of program when I was in middle school, so this opportunity was amazing for me to participate in.

Another experience I have of mentoring beyond the classroom was serving as a University 101 Peer Leader in the Fall 2018 semester. I had the privilege of mentoring, helping acclimate, and serving as a role model for 17 first year students at our beloved University. Serving in this capacity humbled me, as well as taught me patience. It was humbling because all of my students were first generation college students. It’s good to take a step back sometimes and emphasize that because this is a big step in their lives and for their families as well. Patience was also necessary because in the beginning, these freshmen didn’t know how to do things us upperclassmen take for granted, like use their meal plan or log in to BlackBoard to check their grades. Being able to assist in that process was rewarding because I would have wanted someone to do the same for me at that time or my younger sister who is about to be a college freshman.

While taking MGMT 403: Leadership in Organizations, I learned several concepts and frameworks as it relates to leadership overall, specifically the Four Framework Approach. This approach suggests that leaders display leadership qualities in one of the four types of frameworks. These frameworks are Structural, Human Resource, Political, or Symbolic. The chosen style can be effective but can also be ineffective given the circumstance.

My beyond the classroom and within the classroom experience directly correlate via the Four Framework Approach but the Human Resource Framework more specifically. Human Resource Leaders believe in people and communicate that they believe in them. We are visible, accessible, increase participation, support, share essential information, and leave decision making to the audience. If I am an effective leader, I will serve as a catalyst with a supportive, advocating, and empowering style. In reference to the two experiences I talked about, I most certainly used that framework and style while not being a pushover. I learned this is the best way for me to lead so this will be the leadership style I use moving forward in my college career and beyond.