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Skills
Leadership and Teamwork
Over the years, I have learned that effective leadership relies on a mutual relationship of respect with those who are being led. In every leadership position I have held, I have endeavored to receive input from others in order to generate comprehensive, effective solutions. Whether I was choosing a piece for my a cappella group to perform, brainstorming event ideas with Psychology Club officers, or teaching a group of students as a Teaching Assistant, I always invited feedback from my peers. By using this cooperative approach, I learned how to make others feel valuable and generated unique ideas and events that satisfied everyone.
Some examples include organizing an annual winter a cappella concert with seven other groups and the student union, providing community volunteer opportunities for the Psychology Club including the Humane Society, NAMI, and the Cade Museum, and creating dialogues with my students in both Social and Counseling Psychology about multiculturalism and social structures.
Communication
Coming to UF, I was exposed to many different cultures and learned how to communicate more effectively with others. Through my training at the Crisis Center and involvement with the Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic in Shands, I gained insight into how to clearly explain necessary clinical information to a wide range of people. For instance, I often spent time with children in the waiting room of the clinic and learned how adjust my tone and conversational topics when speaking with kids. Additionally, my experience at the Crisis Center highly emphasized empathy and active listening on phone calls. The vast network of volunteers (pictured here) are all expected to keep an open mind and offer support to anyone in a crisis; therefore, I learned how to be more supportive and mindful when talking on the phone. These skills have transferred to my everyday life, and I will continue to strengthen these abilities in both personal and professional situations.
Flexibility
I have always prided myself on my organizational skills and ability to plan; however, prior to my experience studying abroad, I was not adept at adapting to new situations. Traveling to a different country without knowing anyone there allowed me to focus on myself and challenged me to adjust to rapidly changing scenarios. As I learned the social norms of Spain, I had to constantly make many decisions, such as going into a pharmacy for medicine and describing my symptoms in Spanish. I also learned how to thrive in situations where I did not speak the native language. For instance, when I traveled alone to Paris, I had to hail a taxi to my Airbnb, despite not knowing any French. Similarly, I also had to navigate the train stations in Rome alone in order to meet my friend in a certain neighborhood. Although these experiences were occasionally frightening and stressful, I ultimately emerged as a more resilient individual with the capability to make difficult decisions at a moment's notice.
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