Shaping My Personal Identity

My experiences over the years at the University of Houston have contributed the most to shaping my personal identity. I realized that some of my strongest attributes revolved around working with others. This included working with others with backgrounds and experiences different than my own, while also being able to lead and teach others. One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had at UH was as a Resident Advisor for two years. It was rewarding because I was consistently being introduced to residents with completely different backgrounds than my own. I had residents ranging from incoming freshmen, graduate students, to international students. My main role was to make each resident feel comfortable in their living situation and help them feel engaged on campus. Adjusting to living on campus was a difficult transition for

I founded my own organization called Honors in Community Health. My vision was to promote community health on campus and in the surrounding community. Starting my own organization was not an easy task, but it helped finding colleagues who shared my same vision. As a leader, I learned the value in being receptive to advice and criticism from others. There was debate with my colleagues on the mission and structure of our organization, but I always kept an open mind. We were able to bounce ideas with each other and learn simultaneously. I also realized that a key to motivating others is by determining their strengths through my interactions and assigning roles based on those strengths. While I was delegating roles, this skill helped me in choosing the right people suitable for the jobs. By being perceptive of my team members’ emotions, I made sure everyone felt their own value and contributions to our projects. This will be a useful attribute in educational settings as well because my colleagues are more likely to contribute if they feel respected and