HDF 190: FLITE (First-Year Leaders Inspired to Excellence)

URI Minor in Leadership Studies, Center for Student Leadership Development

Core Requirement for the Leadership Minor

Learning Contract

Goal: To identify and utilize my Strengths in an organizational/interpersonal setting that aligns with the mission, vision, values
and sponsored programs and activities of URI’s Center for Student Leadership Development.

Activity: Over the past few years I have been involved in many activities of serving others, and I’ve realized that the strength that
portrayed the most with my involvement with volunteering with EMS, senior homes, organized retreats, and giving back to my
community were empathy and includer. Those traits shaped me into the person I am today; I always try to myself in the other
person’s shoes and try to see how other people view things and then I would go about my mission where I could serve them to
the best of my ability to what they need. Also, I want everyone to feel part of something and included. I plan on doing the
Multicultural Overnight Program (M.O.P.) held by D.R.I.V.E. where I would host an overnight guest from an out-of-state high
school to stay with me in my dorm for one night. We will hang out, attend a dance party, head to dinner, breakfast together, and
answer any of her questions honestly. By doing this activity as my learning contract some of my strengths will come into play.
For example my empathy strength will come into play, I know that usually incoming students are usually shy so I want to make
sure she is comfortable and happy. The other strength that I would see come into play would be includer. As an includer I would
make sure to always keep her entertained and not leave her, I would also introduce her to some of my friends and have her and
the other M.O.P. students get together and mingle with each other. I believe this is a good opportunity for me to practice some of
my strengths.

Evidence: Picture of M.O.P. agreement for the time that I sent with my host.
Annotation:

Originally I was just going to do the one day host but as I heard people talk about the Multicultural Overnight Program I decided
to do that one instead for my learning contract. At first I didn’t know what to expect during this experience but my host and I
ended up having a really good time. I went in with a positive attitude because if I had a positive attitude then it radiate off people
and they wild start to feel comfortable and in return be in a positive attitude about the whole organization. The person I had was
very shy at first so I made sure to start conversations and ask her about things thatch liked and was interest in and then she would
slowly open because I understand what it’s life to be shy. Later in the day we had dance battle, I truly enjoyed this because
everyone broke out of their comfort zone a little bit, including myself. This was a nice opportunity to break out my own shell a
little and just have a laugh, when my host saw me being silly and having a good time she began to relax and have a good time
too. I was trying to lead by example by just being myself. Afterwards I bought a game for all the hosts to Play together and I
played with them. I created an inclusive environment where whoever wanted to play just had to ask. I grew as a person at the end
of this experience because it was my first time mentoring a person one-on-one and answering any cautions that they had and
helped them with any problems they had or simply just advice. I could have been selfish and just not paid that much attention my
host and have her follow me around instead of asking her about what she wanted, but that wasn’t me. I wanted her to have a good
time and be her friend. During this experience I also realized was demonstration part of the leadership model about putting others
first and learning from them. I l learned to be more of an extrovert and just talk and keep conversation going. I hadst good and
my host and I exchanged number, I was so ecstatic to have received a message from her telling me that she officially committed
to the University of Rhode Island as a Biology major. I’m so happy that her spending the night here with with me had impact on
her and her decision her because of the good time she spent here.