Example College Application Short Answers

"In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a leader and how do you fit these characteristics?"

 Reliability, integrity, and passion are fundamental qualities to each cornerstone leader of every organization.  In not only ensuring personal success, but pursuing the growth of all who surround oneself, these qualities are indispensable.  Within reliability, a leader is fully committed to their words and actions - in short, they say what they mean and do what they say.  Once a commitment has been cemented, there is no room for excuses, and from this commitment sprouts infallible organizational skills.

While reliability is a staple, it is equally as vital to be aware of what one can be relied upon for: what actions and thoughts make up the character of a leader?  Without integrity, reliability may fall to the wayside of “the ends justify the means” mentality.  Integrity, by definition, is the body of principles one acts upon when not under supervision. A leader will act earnestly and honestly and will uphold values of authentic work and sincere relationships.  As a leader, is one willing to have the hard conversations?  Is one ready to tackle the most daunting tasks?  Understanding the necessity of - and assuming - these challenging responsibilities demonstrate a character built on integrity: a character on which leaders are based.

While there is no “secret ingredient” for great leadership, passion is a key that unlocks doors that reliability and integrity cannot.  Passion is a flame lit within oneself: it cannot be ignited by external factors such as deadlines and paychecks, nor can it be undone by extenuating circumstances; this motivation is not dampened when the uphill battle grows steeper.  Passion allows one to focus on long-term goals of the future, knowing the importance of these outweighs the mundane realities of the day-to-day.  The turnings of the world that have rounded and shaped the person that I am today have endowed me with an immense respect for qualities such as reliability, integrity, and passion.

I know I exemplify these traits, working diligently through organizations to bring the most out of people by sharing my passion while remaining humble. I have been on multiple organizations’ executive boards, mastering different positions to line my arsenal for success. My true potential was not awakened though, until I began to give back. My relationships developed through mentoring have been the most rewarding and challenging - teaching me introspection, and to analyze the root of my failures and what outcomes were pivotal in creating change. Through Plexus, and SNPhA’s Bridging the Gap programs, I was able to meet different students, each with unique backgrounds and mentalities. It allowed me to teach them vital lessons, like when to create urgency, or how to communicate situationally. Ultimately though, it taught me to listen before speaking, truly hearing my peers and their concerns. By tackling barriers and clearing misconceptions I was able to see leading as a process of looking to the future - not behind or ahead of those around me, but rather as equals each bringing a piece of the puzzle to the table.

"What does membership in Phi Lambda Sigma mean to you?"

 Phi Lambda Sigma embodies a philosophy that acknowledges the value that leadership has in multiple facets of life: education and research, personal interactions and relationship building, careers and planning for the future, amongst others.  Personally, servant leadership is the epitome of leading, and of growth in all the aforementioned areas.  A leader should not be defined as “he who is the best,” but rather as he who strives to make all that surround him their best.  For myself, this involves acknowledging my strengths and looking to share them, while maintaining a constant sense of humility and actively recognizing that there is much to learn from every individual - regardless of previous experience.  I look to be a role model for others - to be the person that I needed most when beginning my path to pharmacy.  Individually, I faced many struggles to achieve the progress that has brought me here today, but if others can benefit from these lessons without having to face the same adversity, then let me be the net that halts the fall.  Through mentoring multiple students who have now successfully entered pharmacy school, my own philosophy on serving others has been honed and rounded: while I aim to become the best version of myself, I hope and strive to ensure others will be better than me.  These principles are well aligned with the mission of Phi Lambda Sigma, making the nomination to join an honor and phenomenal opportunity for continued growth and service.

"Please tell us about your involvement with the University of South Florida’s College of Pharmacy and how you have utilized your leadership skills to aid in the development of the college and/or student success."

 While all of the time spent involved with University of South Florida’s College of Pharmacy has been invaluable to my personal development, the contributions I have made within the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy have been the most impactful on the landscape of the schooling of future students.  Firstly, I made a lasting impact on the college’s reputation with significant companies, including Merk, WellCare, Sanofi Genzyme, Bayer, amongst others.

This year saw the highest turnout rate at a national conference for Managed Care in the college’s history, with nine students attending the AMCP Nexus Conference in October. The processes of reaching out to students, delegating responsibilities, deadlines, and supervision were difficult yet rewarding. It was not about conference attendance, but rather servicing and developing the members of an organization who had been assiduous throughout the year.

Finally, there is the relationship I established with WellCare. Utilizing national contacts through AMCP, I engaged with our key contact, facilitated scheduling, and developed activities for the visit. The event challenged our current members and helped to educate the new members on a well-known company. Each of these examples uses management skills to process the workload and organize the events, but the leadership is in the content of the of contributions. I have received multiple outreaches from students wanting further involvement, showing interest in the field like never before. This to me is the real victory, and it is why I strive to be the best leader I can be.