Pratibha Pandey Merit-Based Scholarship

I have always known I was born to be a leader. Not in the sense that I loved to boss people around or that I loved the power. Rather, my natural leadership skills came quietly, in a way you would not immediately expect. To me, leadership is more than being in charge. It is the innate ability to guide others to be their best selves, to thrive where they are, and to help others see in themselves what I see. In order to do that, I am not afraid to serve those “under” my leadership, to do the dirty work, to help, and to cheer my team on. I will do what it takes to help them succeed. This is no different in college. One of my biggest leadership opportunities comes through my work at the Bentley Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Center (BSLCE.) Through the service-learning programs, I am able to guide fellow Bentley students in mentoring local high school students in employability skills, in order to match those students with summer internship opportunities and break the income barriers in the community. Also within the BSLCE, I am part of the Sustainability Committee to advance sustainable initiatives at Bentley. Through that committee, I had the pleasure of being able to coordinate the first ever campus Friendsgiving Farmers Market with two other amazing students, hosting several local vendors at our school. Outside the BSLCE, I hold a position as the VP of Finance of Alpha Phi Omega, national co-ed community service fraternity. I not only manage the finances and run fundraisers, but I lead the finance committee and run fellowship and service events. My proudest accomplishment was through an extensive fundraising campaign for the Trisomy 18 Foundation, to my dear sister who only lived 80 days in her battle against Trisomy 18. Through that fundraiser, I was able to lead my fraternity in raising over $1000 for the foundation. Another position I hold is within Cru, a national religious organization focused on supporting other Christians at my campus. Through Cru, I have the pleasure of being able to have one-on-ones with fellow students to learn and grow together. I get to learn more about my peers on a deeper level and mentor them in a personal, more intimate way. I also coordinate the worship teams for the district, which includes 6 colleges and universities in the area. As you can see, time management can be particularly difficult when it comes to maintaining my positions and the academic caliber I expect of myself. Classes are hard and sometimes, life really loves to get under your skin. However, my involvements are worth it because they all work to enhance those around me, as well as my community as a whole. Personally, I like to stay organized by having a completely accurate and color coded outlook calendar. Every night, I also plan out my next day and set realistic goals. But I would say the two most important things in time management is to give myself grace and delegate. As much as I love doing it all myself, as I’m sure many do, it’s not realistic… nor is it fair, to myself or others. It’s alright to delegate and ask for help. It’s alright if things aren’t perfect. Though I am leading others, I also must remember: I am leading myself. Life is hard; c’est la vie. In the end, it matters that I led well and I was able to make an impact, no matter how small. After all, if I change the life of only one person, that is one life changed.