Primiceriatus by Abdullah

Primiceriatus by Abdullah - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

President John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” I believe that holds true more in modern day than any other time through history. We live in a world where so many more inventions are being created and science being pursued, and trailblazers in these fields have to be special people. A leader is someone that many people look to for direction, guidance, and inspiration, so it is vital for such people to have the aptitude to make difficult decisions and to know and do what is right. And those intangible characteristics begin to emerge in early adulthood, when they are first starting out as college students.

I believe leadership skills are imperative to college success. In an always-changing society, we need people who are not only able to lead us into the future in their respective fields, but also adapt when necessary. Especially when so many different ideas are now being spread to all corners of the globe.

Globalization in different fields has many implications for leadership today and in the future. Global perspectives are being spread all across the world and, in modern day, to people who previously would’ve never been able to experience them. Hundreds of people of different backgrounds and races and cultures come to the United States every year in hope to engage in the culture and take advantage of the opportunities here.

Leaders must respond to this challenge of globalization so they can relate to and work with as many people as possible. By observing and questioning another culture, leaders can understand the origin of an individual's viewpoints and become more sensitive to the expectations and needs of that individual. By continually exposing themselves to other cultures, young leaders can thoroughly develop this global perspective and devote themselves to making connections with the entire world.

And that will especially come through in college. Leaders are people who are willing to work when others won’t, to take initiative when others are afraid to, and to rally others to do the same. I think I know better than anyone else what it feels like to gradually become a leader.

Being a Muslim in a post-9/11 America, I used to endure verbal attacks almost daily when I was young. People would throw things at me and insult me with comments such as “He’s got a bomb in his backpack!” or “Terrorist!” There were time periods in my life where I endured this and said nothing, and other periods where I absorbed the abuse and had to laugh along, pretending it had not cut me deep. That was my childhood, from hiding who I was to lying to myself that it didn’t bother me when people said “You’re not gonna bomb me are you?”

My transition into adulthood was a process, and yet I think of it as the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. As time went on, I matured and I was able to learn more about my culture, my heritage, and my religion. It took time, but I realized that nobody had the right to talk down to me, especially on a subject that they knew nothing about.

I became very involved in and out of my school, doing a myriad of activities. From peace protests to playing school sports to community service, I truly came out of my shell in high school. More than anything else, I found out what leadership was, and how important it is to not only self-confidence, but goals and desires. I transitioned from childhood to adulthood when the opinions of others no longer weighed me down. This freedom has marked my maturation in my culture, my community, and myself. That maturation process has been vital to my continued growth of my character, my goals, and my ambition.
A higher authority is crucial for supervising and regulating others as well as being an example of a hard and dedicated worker. An effective leader has character, competence, compassion, and courage. Those are characteristics that I believe I now embody and the qualities that I most hope to continue to maturate in college.