What is leadership? In simple terms, leadership is getting other people to follow. However, defining leadership and understanding leadership are two different things. Anyone who manipulates people to follow them can be considered a leader, or at least have leadership qualities. A true leader, though, can inspire others, align them towards a common goal, and make a difference. I aspire to be the latter. Leadership is generally associated with the business world, but it also exists in sports, entertainment, the arts, and government, to name a few. Leadership is more than just a position; it’s a behavior. Tackling issues that you care about and wanting to make a difference in your community can make you a leader if you step up. It doesn’t require a title or an office. It requires someone jumping in and making the decision to lead, and doing whatever it takes. Wanting to improve the community and not waiting around for someone else to do it can make a profound difference. By choosing to take on important causes, leaders influence others to do the same. With more leaders, more community problems can be solved. Issues facing my community today include youth development, economic growth, housing shortages, and substance use. Without leaders, who takes responsibility for improving these issues? What happens to our society? Leaders pave the way for their society’s success. While having leaders is important, having the right type of leader is crucial. Something I see lacking in leadership today is integrity, empathy, and respect. Sure, you can be a leader by possessing decision-making skills and being able to take action, but shouldn’t you want to be a great leader? Leaders get results; great leaders inspire others to want to produce great results. Leaders can learn skills such as communication, delegation, and responsibility. Great leaders possess innate qualities that have a more positive impact, such as empathy, integrity, morals and ethics, and authenticity. Leaders can manage, but great leaders lead, and leading and managing are not the same thing. Leadership is an important part of our everyday lives. Being a leader may not be easy, but we can’t all be spectators. You need a good leader to unite and inspire people to effect positive change, whether in society or the business world. Someone honest and trustworthy, who will lead by example, motivate others, maximize the talents of those who follow, take accountability, listen, and who can recognize others’ achievements. Through great leadership, we work towards the betterment of society and organizational success.

All I ever wanted to do was fit in. Having been born “different”, honestly it became an obsession of mine. Hi, I’m Nick Bishop, and I’d like to tell you how all of my efforts to fit in conversely taught me that it is better to stand out. I was born with a congenital abnormality called clubfoot. Corrections were attempted immediately after my birth, but it was a stubborn defect. As far back as I can remember, I experienced frustration and exclusion because I wasn’t “normal”. I could not run, and I was often unsteady on my feet. I’d keep trying, though, and pretend to not notice that I was always picked last for games, or kids shot glances at each other and shook their heads when they were partnered with me. Do you remember the animated movie “Finding Nemo”? In it, Dory the Blue Regal Tang was oblivious to her problems, and endlessly sang, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” This became my mantra as well. Intent on fitting in, I joined my first athletic team in third grade. The feeling of inclusion was immediate. I connected with peers who had similar interests. Throughout elementary school, the teams I joined all helped to build my self-esteem and self-confidence as we learned to work together. Team training activities helped to improve my physical fitness, strength, and endurance. I was able to spend less time in the hospital and at physical therapy and more time on the field. Lacrosse became my sport and allowed me to learn new skills and develop new abilities. Mostly, being on a team forced me to challenge my limitations and push beyond what I thought was possible. While the teasing and bullying didn’t vanish when I reached high school, thankfully I had a trusted support system in place by then. I learned how to advocate for myself and others. I realized I truly enjoyed proving the naysayers wrong and pushed myself even harder to excel both on and off the field. Facing challenges and differences in my own life helped me to become more empathetic and understanding toward others. I became a Student Activist and founded a club to improve student safety in our high school. I became a Teacher’s Assistant during school hours and a student mentor after school hours, to help struggling students understand the curriculum and achieve academic success. I enrolled in Advanced Placement classes, was inducted into the National Honor Society, and graduated high school Summa Cum Laude. While neither of my parents holds a Bachelor’s degree, not going to college was never presented as an option. I entered the University of Connecticut, one of approximately 35,000 students. While we are all on the same journey of earning a degree, we bring different life experiences and perspectives. It was here that I realized I was non-traditional: I will be the first in my family to get a Bachelor’s degree, and my parents aren’t paying for it. As I sink into student loan debt, my “just keep swimming” mantra stays with me. I now have new cynics criticizing my choice to stay in college despite the staggering cost. As always, the desire to prove the naysayers wrong continues to drive me. I am consistently making Dean's List, and sometimes even President's List. I know that this path will make me a better person and present opportunities for success, in turn allowing me to provide for a family and give back to my community. I would be extremely grateful to have your support.

My future self lives a life filled with purpose; I make a difference in people's lives, and seeing them happy makes me happy.

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Who would have thought that someone could find inspiration in a fish? Hi, I’m Nick Bishop, and even though I don’t particularly enjoy swimming, this mantra is what got me through some very hard times. I was born with a congenital abnormality known as clubfoot. Corrections were attempted immediately after my birth, but it is a stubborn defect. As long as I can remember, I experienced frustration and exclusion because I wasn’t “normal” and couldn’t keep up or even stay upright half of the time. I always had a bulky cast or brace showcasing my disability. So we’d sing, “just keep swimming, just keep swimming”, and I’d try again. Those minor frustrations paled once I started school. Initially, it was quiet exclusion or being picked last for a game. Whispers behind my back grew to name-calling to my face. The teasing and bullying escalated, and I’d pretend to be sick to avoid going to school. Then I didn’t have to pretend anymore, because I was genuinely sick due to the anxiety and fear of facing my bullies every day. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. At the insistence of my father, I joined my first athletic team in third grade. The feeling of inclusion was immediate. I discovered a sense of belonging and purpose that I hadn’t found elsewhere. I could connect with peers who had similar interests and experiences. Throughout elementary school, the various teams I joined all helped to build my self-esteem and self-confidence as we learned to work together. Team training activities helped to improve my physical fitness, strength, and endurance, and also helped to reduce pain and increase balance and flexibility. I was able to finally spend less time in the hospital and at physical therapy and more time on the field. Lacrosse became my preferred sport and allowed me to learn new skills and develop new abilities. Mostly, being on a team forced me to challenge my limitations and push beyond what I thought was possible. Then I entered middle school. Middle school bullies are brutal. Words became shoves and tripping, laughing and pointing. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. I realized I truly enjoyed proving them wrong and pushed myself even harder to excel both on and off the field. I shifted my thinking, and obstacles became opportunities. While the teasing and bullying about my much-improved but still noticeable disability didn’t vanish when I reached high school, thankfully I had a trusted support system in place by then. I learned how to advocate for myself and others. Facing challenges and differences in my own life helped me to become more empathetic and understanding toward others. I used my experiences to promote understanding and acceptance and educate people on empathy and inclusivity. I became a Student Activist and founded a club to improve student safety in our high school. I became a Teacher’s Assistant during school hours and a student mentor after school hours, to help struggling students understand the curriculum and achieve academic success. I enrolled in Advanced Placement classes, was inducted into the National Honor Society, and graduated high school Summa Cum Laude. I am happy to say that I no longer have bullies. My “just keep swimming” mantra stays with me, however, as I persist through new challenges, such as financing my college education. Though I am fortunate to have had some assistance from my parents, as I head into my senior year of college I am now responsible. I would be extremely grateful to have your support.

I have loved watching sports for as long as I can remember. It didn’t matter if I was in the stands at a live game or curled up on the sofa watching sports on television with my family. However, even though I loved a variety of sports, actually joining an athletic team was one of the hardest things I have done. I was born with a birth defect, a congenital abnormality called clubfoot. My parents were upbeat from the beginning, noting “how much worse it could have been” compared to other children with disabilities they had encountered during my treatment to improve and repair my condition. Though they undoubtedly meant well, this did nothing to help me come to terms with my disability. Being fast and nimble is essential to almost every physical sport, and I was anything but. Honestly, if it weren’t for the insistent pressure from my sports-fanatic father, I probably would have always stayed on the sidelines. I joined my first sports team when I was in third grade, a regional youth football team. The sense of inclusion was immediate. I went from being teased, bullied, and often excluded to being part of a team with a sense of belonging and purpose that I hadn’t found elsewhere. I developed long-lasting friendships and social networks. Where it had been difficult to form connections with others due to the bullying, being on a team provided a way to connect with peers who had similar interests and experiences. Additionally, the team helped to build my self-esteem and self-confidence, as we learned to work together and achieve common goals. Through the years, participating in different sports provided exceptional physical benefits. Team training activities helped to improve my physical fitness, strength, and endurance, and also helped to reduce pain and increase balance and flexibility. I spent less time in physical therapy and more time on the field. Lacrosse became my sport, and being on the team allowed me to learn new skills and develop new abilities, which was especially important when I had difficulty finding other opportunities for physical activity due to my limitations. Mostly, being on a team forced me to challenge my limitations and push beyond what I thought was possible. This built resilience and determination, which is valuable not just in sports but in all areas of life. I learned about teamwork, leadership, and other life skills that will be helpful in the future. While the teasing and bullying about being different didn’t disappear, I had a trusted support system. I discovered how to advocate for myself and others. Many people with disabilities have limited opportunities to speak up for their rights, and being on a team can be a platform for people to be vocal about their needs and to educate others about their experiences. Being on an athletic team can have several positive effects for people with physical disabilities. It has the potential to provide social, physical, and mental benefits that can’t be found standing on the sidelines. It offers the opportunity for individuals to learn new skills, push beyond their perceived boundaries, and speak up for themselves and others with disabilities. For these reasons, individuals with physical disabilities need to have access to athletic teams and sports programs that are inclusive and accommodating.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure to decide what you want to do with your life when you are only eighteen years old. In the confusion of college applications and financial aid, it was a safety net to listen to the guidance of those I looked up to, my teachers, when they pushed me to enter college as an engineering major. Now, however, with experience and three years of college under my belt, it has become clear that my interests and strengths were made for the business world, not engineering. I will forever be grateful for the advice of college professors and peers that directed me to focus on doubling up my coursework to catch up on business classes while I waited for acceptance into the School of Business. One thing I recognized early on was that majoring in business provides many different career options. Some common areas of study within a business degree program include finance, marketing, management, and economics. I have chosen to major in Business with a minor in Marketing & Data Analysis. This business degree will provide the skills necessary for career advancement in areas such as a Marketing Manager, where I'd be responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies for a company, working on campaigns for specific products or services, or being responsible for overall brand management. I could also be a Marketing Research Analyst, collecting and analyzing data to help companies understand consumer behavior and preferences. I'd use this information to help companies make informed marketing and business decisions. Through jobs and internships, I discovered that I am a natural leader. I have a level of patience and calm that allows me to work with difficult personalities, I think quickly and accurately, I am effective, and I have a strong moral compass. While a college degree can open up leadership and management opportunities, it is my hope that a degree combined with my personality traits will assist me in rising to a managerial position. A leadership position can help to increase my credibility and influence in my community, as I will have demonstrated a commitment to learning and personal development. This in turn could allow me to have a greater influence on the direction and development of the community. I would be able to use my education to advocate for change, develop programs or initiatives to address specific issues, or provide support and resources to those in need. While many people without a college education have had a positive impact on their communities, I believe that I will be better equipped to address the needs and challenges of my community with the knowledge and skills gained through attaining a degree.

There are many ways a person can use their unique talents and skills to build a more empathetic and understanding global community. For my part, I have found that the best way is by encouraging others to develop a deeper understanding of differences in people, and I do that by using my personal experiences. I discovered that facing challenges and differences in my own life has helped me to become more empathetic and understanding toward others who may be facing similar challenges. One way I use my experiences to promote understanding and empathy in the global community is by sharing my story with others and using it as a way to inspire and educate people about the importance of acceptance and inclusivity. I have written about my experiences in various essays and scholastic submissions; I have shared my experiences with friends, classmates, and colleagues; and I have used social media to share my message. Going forward in my chosen field, it will be even more important to promote acceptance and inclusivity. When people can understand and empathize with one another, it helps to create a sense of connection and belonging. This will lead to greater social cohesion and unity within communities, as well as between different groups and nations. Empathy and understanding can also lead to increased cooperation and collaboration between people, as they are more likely to work together towards common goals when they can see things from each other's perspective. There are also positive effects on individual mental health and well-being. When people feel understood and supported, it can help to reduce feelings of isolation and improve overall well-being. To facilitate this, I will: • Use my communication skills to facilitate discussions and dialogue about important issues, and help people from different backgrounds and perspectives understand each other. • Use my problem-solving skills to develop and implement solutions to social and economic issues that contribute to inequality and lack of understanding. • Use my leadership skills to inspire and mobilize others to take action to promote empathy and understanding in their communities. It's important to be authentic to oneself when trying to build a more empathetic and understanding global community. It's also important to remember that everyone has their own unique experiences and challenges and that it's essential to approach each person with an open mind and a willingness to listen and learn. By demonstrating empathy and understanding toward others, I can help create a more inclusive and compassionate world for everyone.