Can Great Student Leaders be Horrible People

By: Faith Karwacki   Any of us who have had the privilege of serving an official position in a student-run organization understand the stresses involved in leading our peers in an organized and conscientious manner. Some leaders, I believe, have neglected their peers and organizations by placing their focus on leaving a legacy behind in their name. Many organizations crash and burn due to the numerous abitrary additions their leaders impose. While I am more than supportive of organizations broadening their horizons by becoming more involved, considering the ability and time students are willing to put into these activities is more important. The majority of those involved in student-run organizations are full-time students with limited time to commit to being involved. Asking too much can cause dwindling membership, overwhelmed staff, resentment, overworked leadership, and ultimately, the organization suffers. It would be great to be remembered as the officer that completely changed the face of their organization. It would look even greater on your resume to be the person responsible for such changes. But is your organization’s suffering worth the padding added to your resume? Intentions of leaving behind a legacy could turn out to be leaving behind a mess when expecting too much from your members.