Leaders Are Made

Warren Bennis once said, “The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born--that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.” This is a statement that I’ve found to be completely true, and I learn that more and more each day as a student leader at Penn State Berks.

In high school I was always one of the students that was involved with as many things as I possibly could. FBLA, Student Council, these were all things that I spent my time being a part of. I was very excited when I was a senior in high school and I was elected as Vice President of my school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter. (Although I was not excited that I lost presidency.) Upon graduating from high school, I prepared myself for college, where I would be attending Penn State Berks. My parents tried to prep me for classes. “Make sure you don’t take on too much! You’re at school for academics.” I agreed, and I was preparing myself to take on my classes and the transition into the next part of the rest of my life.

When school started, my first week of classes went smoothly, and transitioning was beginning on the right foot. I told myself that, “I can start to slowly get involved in spring semester! I’ll be done transitioning…right?” Right Katie!  By the second week of classes I had become Secretary of a club on campus called Residence Hall Council. So much for keeping a low profile, right? As the semester went on, I realized how much I loved the students I met, the activities I became a part of, and the experiences that I was gaining. Slowly, I began to notice that my plan of “laying low” was not going to work.

And it didn’t. As more opportunities came to me to become more involved, I began to take each one and roll with it.  And one day it hit me, all throughout high school I had been training myself to be involved. Involvement gave me confidence in myself, which in turn, led me to want to take on leadership roles.

Penn State Berks Lion Ambassadors

Currently, as a sophomore, I am President in Residence Hall Council, Secretary/Historian in Lion Ambassadors;  I’m a Student Government Association Rep, and I’m involved in other groups on campus as well, such as Campus Activities Board, Student Activities Fund Committees. Crazy right? But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

One of the biggest things that I think is important is how much each position and membership has taught me about myself. Each responsibility teaches you a lesson. Some lessons are positive, and some are not so good, but each is helpful. Involvement and leadership positions can unlock strengths about yourself that you didn’t realize you had. It can also show you how much you can handle at a time.

This ties in strongly with my philosophy in regards to life- everything happens for a reason, and there is something to be learned from everything that happens. So, why not apply for that leadership position? What’s the worst that can happen? Because I know the best thing that could happen… well, it may just be something incredible, with astonishing results. 

- Katie Zambanini