Success Through Leadership by Chapel

Success Through Leadership by Chapel - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Leadership is a cornerstone of the American way. It is the reason our country has been so influential in the world for the past century. College is a stepping-stone that provides the education and experience to better achieve one’s goals in the outside world. In order to adequately use college resources, a certain amount of leadership skill is required. One who is considered a leader has the traits associated with a leader: intelligence, drive to succeed, integrity, and creativity to stand out from a crowd.

Intelligence does not just describe one's IQ level, but also one's ability to apply him or herself and focus on the task ahead. Leaders, having this trait, are able to comprehend the work that they are given, and can work through more rigorous assignments. Society decides someone is a leader by the decisions they make, thus the person with the most educated and informed answers is deemed the leader. Intelligent people are able to prioritize, a skill that is gravely needed in college., and more often than not, found in a leader. College forces one to go outside of his or her comfort zone, and if he or she lacks intelligence, it can be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Leaders have a drive to succeed, and that is why many follow in their wake. When these people move on to college, they never settle for second best, but they continue to better themselves no matter their rank or situation. They have that unmitigated desire to outdo the last grade they received, and seek to absorb as much information as possible. They see information as a tool to be utilized and continually sharpened. Someone with a drive to succeed can be the difference between an apathetic class, and one that has been inspired to seek what is over the next horizon.

Would you follow someone if you did not believe him or her to have a noble character? Neither would the majority of people. A leader has integrity, which prevents them from doing anything undesirable or malicious. This individual would not cheat on tests, because his or her moral code would prevent him or her. Integrity attracts others who share that value. This quality makes the people around this leader also develop character. If someone is respected, you want to mimic his or her actions.

On difficult projects, being able to think outside the box may be an important part of being successful in that assignment. Creativity draws attention to one’s ability to reason when presented with a problem, a quality desired when looking for a leader. Although intelligence is a very important aspect of succeeding, as Albert Einstein states, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination.” Imagination and creativity can sometimes make a person perform in a more intelligent manner than someone with a higher brain capacity. Leaders have this quality paired with intelligence, making college a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.

In conclusion, perhaps leadership skills are not necessary for college, but it is necessary to excel. Leaders make up the top percentage of high achieving students, and they graduate to become the people who can change the world. It should be the goal of every student to strive to be a leader.