MEINIG FAMILY CORNELL NATIONAL SCHOLARS
EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD
Lisa Antonecchia
Agriculture & Life Sciences '08
As a Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar, it is evident that I have held many formal leadership positions throughout my life. When I arrived at Cornell, I found that the same determination to make a difference that I had honed in my small hometown had followed me to this large university campus. Accordingly, I immediately made it a priority to utilize my educational and leadership abilities to involve myself in initiatives designed to advance and promote my major, the AEM program, and the Cornell community at large. I became an AEM ambassador and participated in information sessions where I was able to express my enthusiasm for the program to prospective students, alumni and other AEM stakeholders. Furthermore, I was selected as the sole female representative to sit on a four-person freshman panel that met with the prominent Cornell University Undergraduate Business Advisory Council whose goal is to provide support, counsel and advice to our school community. It was an honor to be given the opportunity to share my positive freshman experience and to communicate the great benefits that the AEM program has received as a result of the strong alumni support. The positive feedback that I received from the counsel made me feel proud about my contributions and encouraged me to further involve myself on a campus wide level.
As a consequence of my leadership with the AEM program, I decided to join the Campus Life Student Advisory Committee whose mission is to provide programs, services and facilities that support an exceptional living and learning environment for the student body. Through this committee I have been able to voice the concerns of my peers and offer advice about the Cornell community by collaborating with other students, faculty and staff at our interactive meetings. I have gained much fulfillment from holding these formal leadership positions on campus and I wholeheartedly plan to continue and increase my involvement with these programs in my next three years at Cornell. Nonetheless, despite the extreme appreciation and gratification that I have received from my formal leadership positions in the school community, I am most proud of the impact that I have made through my informal leadership as a new member of my sorority.
After receiving a bid this winter to join Kappa Kappa Gamma, it became our responsibility as a pledge class to assure the older sisters that we exhibit commitment to the values that embody the ideals of the organization. As a member of the pledge class I was aware that all the girls exhibited these values of compassion, courtesy, civility, tolerance and understanding; however, the current Kappa members were not yet convinced. Furthermore, due to our busy schedules, I found that we as candidate members were finding it difficult to express our genuine desire to become loyal and dedicated sisters of Kappa Kappa Gamma. As growing concern from the older members about our pledge class festered, it appeared that our formal initiation would never come to fruition. Moreover, negative feedback from the sisters in the house regarding our progress led to great discouragement and discontent among our once very spirited group.
After becoming very disheartened by what was happening to our pledge class, I realized that it was time to employ my leadership abilities in hopes of turning this negative situation around. Accordingly, I offered to organize a gala house-wide dinner that would be prepared by our pledge class for the Kappa sisters. After planning the logistics for the event and obtaining approval from the sorority's standards committee, I rallied full support and cooperation from our once segregated pledge class. From table-cards and music to entrees and desserts, we collaborated on the details and put on an event that truly exemplified the caliber of our character. However, more important than the success of the event were the bonds and lasting memories that were created among the pledge class through our inspiring teamwork. Hopefully, the unifying experience will serve as the catalyst for lasting friendships and lifelong sisterhood.
Ultimately, the event along with the circumstances surrounding it demonstrated to the membership that our pledge class would be a great asset to their sorority. Moreover, on a more personal level, this particular experience enabled me to garner greater insight into my leadership abilities by learning that they are somewhat intuitive and diplomatic in nature. In addition to the formal leadership roles I have and will continue to hold, I now know that I can employ my leadership skills as a means to resolve conflict and build stronger interpersonal relations. My hopes are that I will be able to do this on a wider scale with weightier issues in the future. Accordingly, I will seek related opportunities in our school and extended community. Furthermore, I am interested in exploring course work at Cornell that will aid me in facilitating this goal.
In closing, although it's not quite the Nobel Peace Prize, having been nominated for a 2005 Greek Award - Most Outstanding New Member (Pan-Hellenic) -- is not only appreciated but will also serve as a constant reminder of my leadership responsibilities.
