Personal Statement: Serve Others Not Make Them Live

As a volunteer I've learned the value of service to others and to the community, and I've seen the impact it has on those involved. I’ve seen so many people, especially through church outreach, positively affected by those who use their time and talents to serve others. Although volunteering has benefited me externally in many ways, such as my Eagle Scout Project and NHS hours, I’ve also gained a greater understanding of who I am as a person. I’ve learned how important service is and how it can benefit myself and others around

Throughout my life, I have frequently been a part of a team. Whether it was in an athletic, academic, or employment sense, I have learned many life lessons and values solely because I was a part of these teams. Growing up, I was involved in countless team-based sports in which I had a number of roles. There were times when I had to step up and lead, and times where I had to learn to take a step back and follow. I learned that I was only a small part of the success that happens and that the ultimate goal of the team was

Working at the daycare has shown me how much children look up to us student athletes. One of my biggest dreams is to be the person little kids are talking about when they say, “I want to grow up and be like her.” I am also extremely proud of my athletic accomplishments. My sophomore year I was selected to be a part of the SDHSAA all state honorable mention team for soccer, Dakota XII Conference honorable mention team for volleyball, and I was also selected as the player of the week from ESPN 99.1 for volleyball. My junior year I was selected to be a part of the Dakota XII Conference second team and Region 4a regional first team for volleyball. My senior year I was selected to be a part of the Dakota XII Conference second team and Region 4a regional first team for volleyball, was accepted as to become a part national honors society and homecoming royalty court. Another thing I am proud of is being a part of the state runner-up team two years in a row. I am proud of this because not many teams can say they made it to two state games. Although we did not come out as champions, I believe this made everyone on my team a stronger person because it has made all want to work even harder in order to achieve all of the other goals we want to

Born the youngest of eleven children, I looked up to my siblings my whole life, and as a result I acquired many of the same interests as them. Growing up I was always being drug to sporting events to watch my sibling compete, and when i was at home there was sure to be some sort of game going on, and to say things often got a little competitive would be an understatement. As a result I starting playing sports at the youngest age I could, even if I didn’t necessarily love them at first. After playing various sports for many years though, sports became a defining part of my personality and one of my favorite things to do. Through tough practices and hours training on my own I learned the values of hard work and dedication, and was also able to meet some of the people who are my very best friends to this day.

All my life, I have participated in sports. I ran track and cross country, and played volleyball, basketball, and softball. After all those years in multiple sports, I acquired endless amounts of participation trophies, medals and ribbons. These awards were given to me in hopes that I would continue to engage myself in the sport or to feel like my contributions to the team mattered. The adults might have even hoped I would fall in love with the sport. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I ended up quitting all of those sports excluding softball going into high school. I was not even that bad of a player. I actually was on the A team for a majority of the teams.

Being compassionate, dedicated, educated and loyal are all things that I stand for. My life’s purpose is to work hard and to help others. An accomplishment that I am working toward that will help me fulfill my life’s purpose while still being consistent with my values is to become a scientist. As a scientist, I can learn more about the world in order to contribute to it. In order to reach this goal, I have to be determined and have to understand what others need. I have to be dedicated and compassionate. The quote, “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”, by H. Jackson Brown Jr. inspires me to do this.

We all know service is such a broad term. I used to describe my passions as such, but as I have grown, I discovered I am most passionate about service that aims to make others feel valuable. While giving is honorable, teaching and empowering is transformative. My experiences a Younglife leader were integral to revealing this to me. My job was not to give these kids things but to spend time with them, encourage them, speak into their lives, and show them how loved and cared for they were. I aimed to carry this theme through in my role as Body Image Coordinator. I felt I had the responsibility not just to tell my sorority sisters that they were beautiful, but to empower and instill an ability to recognize beauty for themselves. Further, I aim

Do you agree with the results of your Work Culture Preferences activity? Does it match with what you considered your ideal work culture?

Developing others. Leaders, who show a sincere concern while developing others, mentor those they lead, by promoting their abilities while understanding their goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Furthermore, provide useful feedback in a timely manner so goals can be obtained, strengths can be capitalized, and weaknesses can be addressed. My supervisor has no desire to develop others. He does not mentor or provide valuable feedback. He has never asked me what my goals are hence, no mentorship. My evaluation was six months late, furthermore, generic, therefore, it did not capture my goals, strengths, or weaknesses. His strategy of developing others is pounding on the desk and yelling.

Since I was a kid, I have always been competitive in the things I do, no matter if it’s sports, games, or just in everyday life. Growing up I would always ask “Mom, can I please play basketball”? Although the answer never changed I would always be persistent in asking for it One day when I was just about the age of 7 I was watching a basketball game on TV and from that moment forward dreamt of playing basketball no matter what, but even then my parents never let me play. Sadly for the next few years it was the same thing “Mom can I please play basketball”? Over and over again I would expect the same results. However when I asked this time she gave me an answer I never expected, an answer that would make a huge impact on my life.

One of my best qualities is a sense of empathy which I evolved by volunteering within a local youth group over the past few years, my roles are to provide a welcoming and warm presence to new or excluded members and to use my creative mind to plan activities. Recently, I began competing and training regularly with my local athletics group. I thoroughly enjoy running and it’s become a way to alleviate stress. This began as a challenge as I hadn’t the years of experience behind me, unlike other athletes, but I committed to training and by the end of the season I won gold in the U17 Men’s 800m. In addition, I have been a crew member in my school’s show and have participated in the DofE award.

I have unpredictable and severe epileptic seizures, idiopathic hypersomnia, depression, and anxiety. The unpredictable nature of my epilepsy has caused extreme difficulties in being able to attend classes on campus, work collaboratively with peers and mentors, and to continue my learning beyond the classroom. This has contributed to a significant impact on my learning and engagement in my studies.

I have had many positive role models in my life including parents, coaches, and teachers. Yet, as I grow older I notice myself modeling my behavior more and more after my grandfather. I owe my intense competitive drive to genetics and exposure to an encouraging environment. Part of this environment was witnessing first hand what my grandpa was able to accomplish from a young age.

My personal mission is to constantly strive to be the best overall person that I can be within my personal and professional life. My goals are to inspire and help others and myself around me to achieve greatness and a balance that will maximize our potential that will transcend the boundaries of our dreams.

My personal values act as a basis for determining right and wrong in my daily life. My life, my parents, my husband and my children have all played valuable roles in the development of my core values. The following is an ever changing personal ethics creed, that I plan on using to help guide me in my endeavors.