What LeADERS means to me
LeADERS stands for Learning through Active Discovery, Engagement, Reflection, and Showcase. It’s an ODU initiative that encourages students to go beyond traditional classroom learning by connecting academic, professional, and personal experiences. To me, LeADERS represents more than just earning a distinction, it’s about becoming intentional in how I learn, grow, and share my story.
If I were explaining LeADERS to someone outside of ODU, I would describe it as a program that helps students build a bridge between their coursework, community involvement, and career goals. It challenges students to think critically about what they’ve learned, how they’ve applied it, and how those experiences prepare them for life after graduation.
I was drawn to the LeADERS program because I wanted to approach my college experience with purpose. As a transfer student who has faced several transitions, from COVID disruptions to personal health challenges, I wanted to bring all my experiences together and make sense of how they shaped who I am today. LeADERS gave me that structure and reflection space. It helped me see that even the difficult moments had value in building resilience, adaptability, and leadership.
Reflection and Impact on My Professional Development
Participating in LeADERS allowed me to see how my academic and personal experiences connect in meaningful ways. Through projects, discussions, and reflective assignments, I discovered how much I value organization, collaboration, and creativity, three qualities that are crucial in cybersecurity and in life.
About Myself:
I learned that I’m someone who thrives when I’m engaged in hands-on, applied learning. I like to take what I’ve learned in class and see how it works in the real world, whether that’s through simulations, research, or teamwork. I also learned that my perfectionist tendencies (and yes, my OCD) can be both a strength and a challenge. They push me to stay detail-oriented and organized, which are great skills for cybersecurity, but I’ve also learned to balance them with flexibility and patience.
About Others:
Working with classmates from different backgrounds showed me how valuable collaboration and communication are in solving complex problems. Cybersecurity is not just about technology, it’s about people, and understanding that has made me a better team player and future professional.
Themes That Emerged:
Looking across my LeADERS experiences, a few major themes stand out: resilience, curiosity, and integrity. These themes connect my academic journey, personal growth, and professional goals. They’ve shaped my philosophy that success isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence and purpose.
LeADERS fit uniquely into my ODU experience because it helped me integrate everything, my associate’s background from ECPI, my transfer journey, and my growing identity as a cybersecurity professional. It gave me the space to talk about my journey as one story rather than separate, disconnected chapters.
My most powerful learning moments came when I connected theory to practice, like understanding how cybersecurity impacts everyday life or realizing how much ethical decision-making plays a role in protecting digital spaces. The most important thing I’ve learned personally is that every experience matters, even the ones that felt like setbacks at the time. They’ve all contributed to my growth and confidence.
Impact on Professional Development
Each LeADERS experience helped me strengthen a different professional skill:
- Learning: I developed strong critical thinking skills through hands-on cybersecurity projects and research, which taught me to analyze problems from multiple perspectives.
- Active Discovery: I gained curiosity and creativity by exploring how cybersecurity connects with innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Engagement: I built communication and teamwork skills by collaborating with peers in group assignments and class discussions.
- Reflection: I learned to evaluate my progress and recognize my strengths, particularly in organization, attention to detail, and persistence.
- Showcase: I became more confident in presenting my skills and experiences, whether through ePortfolio projects or professional conversations.
Together, these experiences have shaped me into a more self-aware and well-rounded professional. In cybersecurity, being able to think critically, communicate effectively, and adapt to change is essential. I’ve learned that I’m especially strong in organization, problem-solving, and persistence — and I continue to work on patience, confidence, and leadership.
Moving forward, I plan to apply these skills as I pursue an internship and eventually launch my own business. The LeADERS program has helped me realize that my path doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s, it just has to be authentic to me.