Thinking Critically

Wow. That podcast was awesome, and it just helped me so much. I have recently been really stressed and questioning whether or not I should continue with the leadership major for a number of reasons which aren’t really important, but after listening to the podcast, I don’t see how I could not continue. I think with all of the talk in my life recently about careers and getting prepared for life after college, I forgot the reason I wanted to be a part of Jepson and how excited I was coming to Richmond because of the leadership school in the first place. Like Dr. Bezio said, leadership studies is an unsafe degree that steps outside the boundaries of what is expected and conventional in this society. So many of my peers, friends from home, and older people in my life are in the finance world, and there is nothing wrong with that, but it just isn’t me. Yet, I believed that was the only path that made sense. But after listening to this podcast, I was reminded that different types of knowledge are what we need to serve the greater good and make a positive difference. I doubt I can make a positive difference with solely a finance degree (maybe I can, and some people do, but still…). I was also talking to my advisor the other day about this stress I was having, and he asked me what it is that I do like about leadership studies, and I responded that even though these are some of my most difficult classes, they are really the only ones where I feel like I am learning and growing. My leadership classes are, to me, the epitome of what I think college should be all about — hearing different perspectives, understanding the world around you, learning about your own beliefs and what you want your life to look like, and just growing as a person who can make a difference in the world. My Jepson classes are the ones that do this for me, and I was reminded of that in the podcast, so I’m really grateful and excited to continue on this path to be the best leader I can be in every context.

3 thoughts on “Thinking Critically

  1. William Shapiro

    I like your point about growth in Jepson classes. I think that the discussions we have in class are extremely valuable. Especially with the development of the internet, it is easier and cheaper than ever to find someone who can teach you hard skills. On the other hand, you can’t really manufacture a large group of smart people having an engaging conversation about the world around them, outside of a classroom.

  2. Evie Hanson

    I completely agree, I find myself forgetting why I chose to be a leadership major in the first place and just get so stuck on grades and on jobs and all sorts. It really is important to slow down and remember what we are learning about and how it will make a difference not just in our lives as we start our careers but also in the future of our society in general. I also liked your final point about the importance of these classes – it really makes you grateful for the unique experience that we get at Richmond through Jepson

  3. Sophia Hartman

    I think its awesome how much the podcast resonated with you! I really appreciated what you said about how leadership accomplishes what you think college should be: experiencing and hearing different perspectives to understand the world around you and grow with those around you. I have also sometimes questioned my choice to major in leadership, but I am grateful for the design of the classes and am brought back to how this is a topic of study that has so much breadth and opportunity to make it your own, and I really value that.

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