Our students come from all over the country with all sorts of passions. We love that each student has a unique idea of what they’re looking to get out of their study abroad experience, so it’s important to us that we offer programs that meet the wants and needs of as many of them as possible! While some look for medical experience or the flexibility to explore outside their host city, students like Cassidy Matwiyoff, a 2nd year student at The University of Alabama on LEAD Cape Town, wanted to focus on leadership and service.
Cassidy’s journey in leadership began in high school and flourished at UA being involved in Student Government Association, the Blackburn Institute and First Year Council. It was extremely important to Cassidy to be able to enjoy her study abroad experience while serving the local community and making a difference! In Cape Town, she was chosen to serve as a Community Leader for her program trip, which became one of her favorite parts of her study abroad experience. “The most valuable aspect of my experience as a LeadAbroad student was having the smaller, Community Leaders community, within the larger LEAD class. The weekly Sunday night meetings with the nine Community Leaders were truly special and valuable, as we got to know each other on a more personal and profound level, apart from the rest of the class. We built our community within the class itself, all stemming from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” Cassidy was able to find her community amongst like minded students who wanted to embrace leadership abroad just as much as her!
She found the service projects they worked on to be extremely impactful, which for many is a high priority! They made sandwiches to give to locals, led activities and worked with students at the local primary school and more. Cassidy felt her work leave a positive impact on those around her, which is all she hopes for when pursuing her leadership endeavors! “My role as a Community Leader is to uplift my classmates, inspire enthusiasm, and help my peers also discover their purpose and place. When I noticed the energy in the room among the ten of us was down, I put on my “South Africa” playlist that I had made for the trip with a wide range of high-energy songs to inspire enthusiasm and happiness. Almost immediately, everyone in the room started humming or singing along and we increased our efficiency and productivity with the sandwich assembly. It became a habit to put on that playlist while the sandwiches were being made, and it was a wonderful start to the day.” These wins (big or small) are what leadership is all about, and Cassidy is so glad she was able to experience that and more.
Through LEAD Cape Town Cassidy was able to grow not only herself but her leadership skills while exploring South Africa among like-minded students. Cassidy- thank you for giving us the opportunity to share your story and give you the experience of a lifetime abroad! If you’d like to have a transformative time abroad just like Cassidy, join our interest form below and visit our website to explore the various locations that you could call home next summer!
We hope to see you soon, future travelers.
Comentarii