Why This Minor?

     As a freshman in college coming to a large university, I had high expectations for myself. My entire freshman year I went back and forth on changing my major from business to interior architecture to finally psychology. I found the desire to expand my learning and show off my strong capabilities in school, which is the reason I began looking for a minor my sophomore year of college. As I visited with my advisor, I reflected on past classes that I believed I took away important information from.

     The first class that came to mind was LDST 200 which I took my freshman year. This class was basically an introduction of what adaptive leadership was. What made this class engaging is that there was much time carved out for self-reflections and activities that focused on becoming the best versions of ourselves. Along with that, I had the opportunity to collaborate with others, think outside the box, and receive helpful feedback from each assignment I submitted. After thinking of endless possibilities of different minors with my advisors, I chose the leadership studies minor. I received an advantage from choosing this minor because I had previously taken a few leadership classes that counted towards the minor, therefore I only had to take four more classes to receive a certificate. However, as I completed those four classes, I experienced a sense of community and belonging through each class. I was able to connect with students on a personal scale due to the different assignments that required collaborating with others. Not only was I able to grow personally but grow alongside my peers. My biggest achievement is that I've become comfortable in working with different communities and promoting my own ideas and opinions to make a significant change. I couldn't have been able to do those things without learning how to take risks and be okay with failure. I believe that any student in college should have access to this specific minor, as it only helps us all inch closer to becoming the best versions of ourselves when combatting tough challenges.

- Sophya Galan