Leadership positions as an undergrad

By Yanelis Diaz

At the end of my sophomore year of college I applied for a position on Children Beyond Our Borders’ UCF Chapter executive board which became my first leadership experience as an undergraduate student. Now after serving countless leadership positions including a two year presidency, I have developed skills that I would’ve never thought possible with my undergraduate career. From having a greater sense of varying team dynamics to tricks to cultivating the attention of a crowd, leadership positions have been my favorite part of my collegiate career.

Holding a leadership position as an undergraduate student is an invaluable experience because you have the opportunity to develop skills alongside peers that are striving to do the same. Further, you have the opportunity to practice different communication and teamwork methods to learn your own leadership style. With each position I find myself feeling more confident when initiating a new idea; this confidence has led to the ability to productively network with others. Not only does leadership experience help sharpen skills, but it shows future employers that you have already taken strides towards been an active member in a team which is its own form of workforce experience.

Empowering others while empowering yourself stands as a common belief within CBOB so if you’ve been on the brinks of running for an officer position or applying for an internship, I encourage you to take the leap and go for it.

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Yanelis Diaz is the Operations Director of CBOB and is currently a student at the University of Central Florida.