If you have a desire to create positive social change, this article is for you. Here are things I learned from SIP that you should keep in mind as you continue to learn, fail, and grow.

I have learned over the years that each one of us has an unlimited potential to inspire, influence, and impact. Every single person you have ever smiled at or spoken to has been forever changed by that interaction, yet that moment was most likely left unnoticed. Time is a fleeting phenomenon, and I feel that in order to achieve any sort of fulfillment in your life any changes you make should start from within.

Presenters Mark Thurston (GMU Center for Well Being) and Mark Fernandes (Luck Companies) spoke on the importance of understanding the influence that YOU have on your co-workers, and organization, and the world. “We are all here to bake bread…but different kinds of bread. How do we know what kind of bread to make? Look at your ingredients before you start” (Mark Thurston). Thurston used a bread analogy to explain the importance of understanding yourself before you can fully impact others. He helped me realize the qualities I admire in other people are also in myself. Fernandes emphasized that being aware of your strengths and actions is crucial in any leadership role, as you make or break the atmosphere of the organization, and thus the organization itself.

-Samantha Dietz is a sophomore at Tulane University majoring in Sociology and double minoring in Spanish and Social Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship.