My Strengths
About
During my time as a Panhellenic Recruitment Counselor, I got the opportunity to take the Clifton Strengths assessment for no cost. This helped to illuminate my strengths, many of which I had already found in myself. Here, I have identified the four strengths from that assessment that I have resonated with throughout my international scholarship at the Unviersity of Florida and how I think my preexisting strengths supported my learning in this program.
Futuristic
When beginning my college career, I thought forward to what I could do to enrich both my studies and the rest of my life. As a pre-medical student, I had the difficult task of preparing myself to be a competitive applicant to professional school while studying things that I enjoy. I have taken Spanish classes every since I can remember, and pursuing a Spanish minor seemed like an excellent solution to the situation. My studies of Spanish have granted me the opportunity to study abroad and expanded my breadth of study, making me a more well-rounded and internationally focused student. Had I not had a futuristic perspective, I may have missed out on some of the opportunities I had the privilege to participate in.
Learner
When selecting my schedule anticipating my first semester at college, I did not know what electives to take and chose one that sounded informative yet not too difficult. That course ended up catapulting me into my study of global health through the Anthropology minor I had unknowingly started. Completing Race and Racism opened my eyes to the inequities in our own country and gave me a strong desire to solve healthcare inequities using global perspectives. Because of this happy accident, I had the opportunity to alter my perspective and expand my horizon. My desire to learn something rather than take the easy way out helped me to learn more about the world and my future career than I ever realized that it would.
Achiever
Completing the International Scholar Program reflects the very skill that I am highlighting here. The ISP is in no way a requirement, but once I heard about it I knew that it was the ideal way to conclude and celebrate my international achievements. I am constantly seeking to expand my knowledge and find new ways to immerse myself in the community of which I am a part, and because of this I know that the only thing limiting my achievements is myself. Being an achiever is not defined merely by one's achievements, but by the desire to constantly work harder and accomplish things that one is proud of. I feel extremely proud to have this skill and know that it will carry me far in life.
Includer
Something that I have always felt strongly about is being inclusive toward all individuals in all activities that I do. In my opinion, it is easy to be an excluder because it is often not purposeful, therefore we have to be active includers. This strength has served me well during my international studies by helping me to step out of my comfort zone and make new friends in order to be more inclusive. Some of my closest friends are those who I met while studying abroad but I most likely would never have met them otherwise. Now I have expanded my circle and included them in activities with other friends, enriching all of our lives. I am proud of this skill because it helps me to not allow people or groups of people to be forgotten and explore more communities in my international studies.
