INTRODUCTION

My name is Nick Lawrence. I am a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Packaging Systems and Design and minoring in Leadership. I am on track to graduate this upcoming May. I was born and raised most of my life in Roanoke, a valley nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia.

My background in education was primarily in the public school system of Roanoke. Specifically, I went to Hidden Valley High School and I graduated with Valedictorian status. I was not involved in any sports at my high school, I spent most of my time out of school with my vast friend group or I was working a part time job at Food Lion (for two years) and a gym (for the latter half of my high school years).

I have had previous involvement in many clubs and activities at Virginia Tech during my academic endeavors which included: PRAXIS Leadership activities, Cru Campus Ministry, and MMA Club. I was involved heavily in these organizations and leadership played a great role in creating interpersonal relationships and helping these organizations grow.

I am now involved in TechMMA, a prestigious Mixed Martial Arts gym headquartered in Christiansburg, and Packaging Club that I am the treasurer of. These two organizations I am apart of require leadership and patience in different ways. My leadership philosophies and qualities are important to the Packaging Club as not only do I manage the funds of the club; I also create an impact by lending a helping hand to other officers with their club projects or I advise and guide the younger students involved in Packaging.

I plan on landing a job straight out of college with a business that encourages a healthy and productive work culture. I want to use my packaging experience from school and previous internships at companies I have had the opportunity to work for to ultimately bring value to the company by working as a packaging engineer or a packaging designer.

I live in a family of five people. My mom and dad, and two other brothers. According to my family I am the quintessential middle child. I think that is a compliment. My family is quite involved in a church back home. In fact, the eldest Lawrence brother works in a church, and my youngest brother is involved in CRU at Virginia Tech where he impacts the ministry by leading and guiding other members.

Personal Leadership Philosophy: A Reflection

I remember when I was a freshman at Virginia Tech and transformed rapidly in my ideologies, knowledge, and visions. When I think about Leadership before I was involved in any leadership classes I thought a leader was someone who had the motivation and hunger of a lion. Never taking no for an answer. Never backing down from a fight or confrontation. Unafraid of hurting someone’s feelings to get the job down. Basically, I had a close-minded view of leadership and assumed most leaders were go-getter alpha males that were headstrong in their pursuit and even if they were matched with failure, they persevered.

In my opinion, what I listed above is not a bad leader. There is absolutely many situations in which this type of leader is required to act and take charge. However, my leadership philosophy now goes like this: The purpose and value as a leader you become is based not only on how much you transform as a better and more productive individual, it is also equally quantified by much your followers grow in the same fashion. In essence, this is the philosophy of Servant/Transformational leadership.