To be completely honest, when I first applied for the scholarship, my primary focus was on academic research. Upon reflection, my perception of leadership was flawed, as I considered it to be an innate skill, that I probably didn't really need in my life. However, my experiences through the scholarship have led me to realise that leadership is everywhere; these skills can be developed, and they are essential for achieving my future goals.
I began to notice the importance of leadership in my introduction to the programme in the Laidlaw retreat, in my first year. The team activities, talks, and reflection sessions have truly stuck with me because they helped me analyse the leaders I admire, the virtues I value the most, and why. I was also introduced to diverse leadership styles, which made me start to relate to leadership and motivated me to improve my own skills, taking on differing approaches and adapting them to my morals and goals.
Working on my first-year research project was another key opportunity to build leadership skills, besides gaining academic experience. It was the perfect introduction to academia, learning how to use LaTeX, how to write an academic paper, and much more. However, it went above and beyond academia. Working alongside another scholar, Paul Reynolds, we were given the opportunity to present our paper at a conference. Presenting and meeting brilliant professors and researchers was an amazing chance to be exposed to an unfamiliar environment. It also showed me the importance of mentorship, as our supervisor and the researchers at the conference were extremely welcoming and happy to give opportunities to beginners.
I found my most meaningful leadership experience during my LiA, teaching underprivileged teenagers. This challenging position pushed me to apply leadership in a very hands-on way. Teaching forced me to manage my time more efficiently, planning lessons or changing them when I was faced with something that didn't work. Becoming close to my students and listening to the challenges they faced was eye-opening, and let me tailor my teaching approach to their needs. This showed me the importance of adaptation and patience because continuously adjusting to my students helped me reach them better and enabled them to achieve great results, which was extremely rewarding. Recognising the value of mentorship, I exchanged contacts with my students so they could ask questions about future academic and career choices. I feel incredibly pleased and honoured to have already received a few messages from them.
Overall, I feel that I have truly grown in these past 2 years and Laidlaw has been instrumental in this process. The program connected me with incredible mentors and scholars who have become great friends and role models. These experiences I’ve had are crucial for my studies, especially with my dissertation and future master's in mind, but they’ve also had a transformative impact on me personally. I am now much more confident and eager to take on leadership roles, which will be essential for my goals. For almost two years now, I have been involved in establishing an NGO in my city in Brazil, and I can feel the difference in my preparedness compared to two years ago. I am deeply grateful to the Laidlaw Foundation and the scholars for the invaluable lessons and support throughout these past years.