One of the best aspects of the CLDP is undeniably the opportunities that the 1st and 2nd year cohorts have to do service. I had never really had the opportunity to do much service before this program and I am really glad that there is such an emphasis on the important of service. Part of the mission of the Shelton Leadership Center is to create “values-based leaders” who are committed to “selfless service” and this program is doing just that. Not only are we learning how to work as a group to help those in need, but we are also learning how to truly serve others. The CLDP teaches us that we are to serve those in need and it also teaches us that we are not above those people in any way. We are taught that people should not be reduced to their circumstance and that we should see them as normal people. This change in mindset has helped me so much. It has made me a stronger leader because I now know that a leader should serve their people. A good leader will look at their followers as equals and help them attain all that they need to succeed.
The picture above is from the service trip that the 2018-2020 cohort took to Nashville, Tennessee. On this trip, we volunteered at a number of incredible organizations such as Room in the Inn, Project Cure, Second Harvest Food Bank and Nashville Rescue Mission. At these places, we organized donations, readied shipments of medical supplies that were sent to Nigeria, sorted food that had been donated by grocery stores, and we fed the men in Nashville who were experiencing homelessness. None of these jobs sound particularly glamorous but, it was some of the best experiences I had ever had. Seeing all of my cohort come together and really try to do something good was so inspiring and so was talking to all of the people that do that all day, every day. Those people really showed me what it means to be a values- based leader that focuses on selfless service.