If you haven’t read Part 1, just click the link here! You’ll read input from 3 of our most fantastic 2014 CLs: Zach, Elena, and Taylor.
I’m super excited to do a “So You Want to be a Community Leader” Part 2. If you haven’t applied yet, it’s not too late! Comment on this post or contact one of the Go Global staff members to learn more. We are looking for a variety of universities to represent us this year. If you’ve already applied, thank you so much…and stay tuned!
Now let’s get to the nitty-gritty — here are the 3 CLs featured in Part 2:
Meet…
Cammie: LEAD Cape Town 2014 student; GO: Rome 2015 Intern
Paige: GO: Rome 2014 student; GO: Rome 2015 Intern
Dij: LEAD Cape Town 2014 student
You may have read a few of Dij’s excellent guest posts (found here and here), and you may have read Cammie’s and Paige’s guest posts, too. These three are truly spectacular assets to the Go Global team, so it was only natural to include them in just one more interview. And for my GO: Rome students reading this….here’s a great way to get to know more about your two outstanding interns that you’ll meet this summer!
Here, you’ll find their answers to the same questions that we asked Zach, Elena, and Taylor in Part 1. Ready…set…GO!
1. What drew you to the idea of being a CL?
Cammie: “I thought it would be exciting to be directly involved in the leadership side of the program.”
Paige: “I wanted to be really involved in the study abroad process. I also realized that there would be other schools there, so being a CL would make getting to know everyone more encouraged.”
Dij: “The Go Global staff pitched it to me as being a “leader of leaders,” so I was game. I also thought it would be an easy way to get to know people better.”
2. What were your top 3 takeaways from being a CL? What did you learn, and what did you gain?
Cammie: “I learned a lot about finding common ground with people from a variety of backgrounds, creating community, and establishing leadership within a group of peers. Being a CL is just another way to make to make your trip even more life-changing.”
Paige: “I was able to put it on my resume and have talked about it in interviews when applying for internships. It also taught me how to take responsibility in a totally new environment which is a great skill to brand yourself with. And it allowed me to be known amongst the group which made making friends easier.”
Dij: “I learned that there is so much more to an experience then where you went and who you saw. I learned to embrace impact. And most of all, I learned Ubuntu: People are people through other people.”
3. What were the advantages/perks of being a CL? The extra fun stuff!
Cammie: “CLs get to enjoy lots of perks. For starters, you immediately get to know more people through your groups and meetings with other community leaders. CLs work directly with the staff, planning and recapping different group activities. Also in Cape Town we got the chance to enjoy an amazing meal prepared by a local in a penthouse apartment at sunset. It was a night with just CLs and staff which made it an incredibly unique experience.”
Paige: “You get even more personal one-on-one time with the staff to work on your personal development. Also you get to plan super fun events for the rest of your peers, and it’s so awesome getting to have your voice heard when planning outings and events.”
Dij: “We get some additional opportunities than the other students. We were able to to have dinner at a local Capetonian’s home, and he shared his wisdom with us. We got to meet people and spend much more time with them.”
4. How has being a CL helped you in other areas of your life outside of Go Global?
Cammie: “Being a CL gave me confidence in other areas of my life to take the initiative in a group of people my same age. I learned valuable leadership skills on the trip that have carried over into school, work, and friends.”
Paige: “It was a major talking point in my interview for my current internship, so it must have helped!
Dij: “It is a fantastic resume builder. It has also taught me how to better lead others; how to utilize their strengths and work around their weaknesses.”
5. What advice would you give to this summer’s CLs to make their experiences the best they can be?
Cammie: “The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to take the time to do some extra time with your community group. With program sizes growing, CLs have the unique opportunity to initiate friendships within groups that otherwise may not have been as strong!”
Paige: “I would tell them that you get out of it what you put in so put as much effort as you can in! It’s important to actually put effort into the tasks and have fun with it! The tasks/duties that you’ll be given won’t be super heavy and won’t interfere with your other time commitments.”
Dij: “Embrace the experience, all of it.”
6. What were actual your responsibilities/duties as a CL?
Cammie: “As a CL I had several responsibilities to create community in the group. We hosted breakfast in our apartment once a week, met with our group outside of class, and created other opportunities on our own for bonding. Sunday nights we would gather with the staff and discuss the week. I loved getting to know the other CLs and the staff better during this time!”
Paige: “The actual responsibilities consisted of bringing the group together and fostering an open and fun environment. One of the very best things about all of the Go Global trips is that the students range from all over. This is awesome because you get to meet a very diverse group of people, however it takes longer for people to open up. This is your chance to create a group setting where everyone is included and becomes super close!”
Dij: “As a CL it was my responsibility to bring people together and facilitate conversations during class.”
We’re excited to make our CL selections in the next few weeks. This is going to be an incredible summer full of immeasurable leadership potential.
Get excited!
-Anna and the Go Global team