Last year, the Leadership Center at Washington State University began an initiative to more deeply appreciate and honor our student leaders through individual recognition. The inaugural Student Leader of the Month award aims to distinguish student leaders that impact the WSU community through leadership, as well as encourage others to learn and engage with student leadership offerings at WSU. In order to be considered for the Student Leader of the Month Award, a nomination must be submitted by a student, staff, or faculty member of Washington State University. After reviewing nominations, Leadership Center staff have selected Miss Leoma James, Miss Hannah Donnelly, and Miss Celia Balderas to receive the honor of Student Leader of the Month at Washington State University for the months of December, January, and February respectively.
Each of these outstanding Cougs are very involved in their community, whether it be multicultural movements and organizations for Leoma and Celia or mental health destigmatization for Hannah. Each recipient offers younger students some advice on beginning their leadership journey at WSU:
“Never stop pushing forward, follow your dreams and ask for support when you need it. Finding what you are passionate about comes from trial and error. The current step is the not the final step; trust the process. Everything might not go as planned but being flexible and not giving up on your dreams will give you the desired outcome. Don’t spend your whole college career wishing you would have joined an organization or community. Start by reaching out to them, help out in small ways like volunteering or attending an event and then decide whether or not that organization is the correct fit for you. Leadership is not all about the person who is standing in the front, it’s about the person who is willing to lead by example and love with purpose.” – Leoma James, December 2017 recipient
“For students looking to pursue a leadership journey or enhance their engagement, I can say this: Think about the passions you have and what you’re good at. Think about the things you’ve been through in life that have lead you and refined you to be who you are today. Everyone has a different story and a different mark to make in this world. Do not let fear have a foothold on your dreams and aspirations; they are there for a reason. It is sometimes those people we never imagine anything of, that do the things no one can imagine.” – Hannah Donnelly, January 2017 recipient
“The biggest things I’ve learned are that you must take care of yourself, you should take risks, accept your mistakes and learn from them, and enjoy what you do. With time you develop your own style of leading. For students looking to start their leadership journey and enhance their engagement I would tell them to be their true self and to take every opportunity they have to grow.” – Celia Balderas, 2017 February recipient
If you know a Cougar student who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in the WSU community and is deserving of this award, please submit a nomination today at lead.wsu.edu.
Questions or comments may be directed to sild.lead@wsu.edu. Go Cougs!
