Some people may look at leadership positions as a chance to make a difference for others, on their campus and in their world. And that's true. But leadership positions also tend to make a difference in the life of the leader. We talked to five leaders on Christian college and university campuses about the difficulties, joys and lessons they've discovered from leadership.

Carly Kruse
Junior
Bethany Bible College, New Brunswick, Canada

Carly Kruse has a big vision. She wants each student on her campus to find his or her role in fulfilling the Great Commission.

"I believe God wants to raise up my generation to 'go and tell' unreached people about Christ and to fight for justice around the world," says Carly.

As president of the college's Student Mission Fellowship, Carly has a great opportunity to help her peers become more globally minded through activities, posters and prayer. But she knows she can't achieve her vision on her own.

"Being a leader on campus has helped me recognize how much I must depend on God," says Carly. "Without him, the activities and conversations I have will have no eternal value."

Her leadership role has also taught Carly how to better make decisions. She frequently receives more mission ideas from her fellow students than she can handle. The challenge is discerning which ideas are the best use of her time and energy.

"Doing them all would actually make Student Mission Fellowship less effective than choosing a few and doing them strongly," says Carly.

Her decision-making skills have improved as she responds to submitted ideas, prays about them, speaks to a mentor who helps guide her, and finds help from others with similar views and desires.

"It was so valuable to me to find other students that share the same passion," she says. "I recommend leaders cast their visions and ask if others would like to be a part of it. This will give you the opportunity to delegate responsibilities, and also help you feel like you are not alone in your leadership role."

Chris Holloway
Junior
Dallas Baptist University, Texas

Chris Holloway loves his job as a resident assistant (RA). But he'll be honest: Waking up at 1 a.m. because someone burned popcorn isn't a good time. Not the first time. Or the second or third time either.

"Opening my dorm room door at 3 a.m. after a long day of studying doesn't always make me want to smile," he says. "But it's all worth it."

For Chris, serving as an RA on campus is a way to give back. "The resident assistants I've had poured so much into my life, and I wanted to do the same for other guys in the dorms," he says.

One lesson Chris has learned is to not carry too many responsibilities. "The most important thing I've learned is to say no," he says. "I don't have to say 'yes' to everything or try to please everyone."

When tempted to take on more leadership, Chris recalls how peach trees produce better fruit when pruned because more nutrients become concentrated in fewer peaches. "We should concentrate on a few activities and do them well, as opposed to doing everything in a mediocre way," he says.

Chris limits his activities, sets his priorities and takes time to rest and avoid burnout. "I have to set time aside for everything," he says. "I am a servant of God first, a student second, an RA third, and everything else just falls into its place."

Jared Gibo
Senior
Biola University, La Mirada, California

Business major Jared Gibo is still in college, but already tasting what it's like to be a CEO.

As student body president, Jared manages more than 60 paid employees and a sizable budget. He even feels the performance pressures of a CEO—it's Biola's centennial year, and students have high expectations. "People want big things," he says. "We plan to deliver."

Jared enjoys his leadership position. "There's so much freedom in this job to impact the students we're serving," he says. He's also learning many things about leadership in general—and about himself.

When overseeing the creation of a new student government website, Jared raised money and hired a designer, but became bogged down planning the content and layout. "The project fell behind because I didn't have the ability to focus on all the details," says Jared. "I've learned that I'm a big picture thinker. I need detail-oriented people around me to help carry out my ideas."

This experience taught Jared that leadership doesn't mean doing everything yourself. It requires empowerment and delegation. It means letting others lead as well. "Most people respond to responsibility," he says. "Unless they feel ownership over something, you're hardly ever going to get optimal results." As a member of Biola's social board, his supervisor encouraged him to take ownership of planning campus concerts and gave him a lot of leeway and freedom along the way. So, Jared started to think outside the box. Jared and his team brought in big names and turned the shows into benefit concerts. In the end, Jared's leadership saw acts like Mae, Jars of Clay and Hellogoodbye come to Biola and raise $25,000 for humanitarian aid in Africa.

"These experiences have the ability to teach you things that you'll never learn in the classroom," he says. "College is an incredible time of development, and leadership roles have developed me more than anything else."

Emely De Leon
Senior
Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho

Emely De Leon used to feel guilty whenever her dorm room door was closed.

As a resident assistant for 18 freshmen girls, Emely wanted to always be available to talk her girls through their transition into college life.

"I soon realized people do not need me 24/7, and I need my quiet time," she says. "Taking time to be alone with yourself and reevaluate why you do what you do is so important."

Emely served as a resident assistant her sophomore year, and led a floor Bible study her junior year. These campus leadership roles gave her the skills to become a leader in her church, where Emely now serves as the assistant youth pastor and runs Sunday night services.

"Being a leader on my campus has helped me feel ownership of where I go to school, and has helped me enjoy my years at NNU," she says. The professors and classes she has been exposed to at a Christian college have helped Emely discover and develop her God-given gifts.

Balancing her leadership roles with her schoolwork has not come easy to Emely. "I have discovered my need for both organization and structure," she says. "Not every moment of my life is planned, but calendars and schedules are my 'friends' and I've learned to appreciate them."

Emely recommends that other students establish their priorities first before taking on leadership roles. "Set goals so you don't forget why you are doing what you are doing," she says. "Figure out what kind of a person you are and don't try to be someone else."

Kyle Thoms
Senior
Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan

To say Kyle Thoms is busy would be an understatement. He splits his time outside of classes as captain of his basketball team, resident assistant for a college dorm, and assistant manager for Cardinal Corner, a student-run coffee shop he is helping launch from scratch.

"Many times I try to get everything done at once or all in one day, but this causes me to rush things and sometimes finish the job halfway," says Kyle. "I've learned I can't always do things by myself, and it's OK to ask for help—especially from God."

Kyle may be busy, but he's experiencing the many benefits of being a student leader. He's made friendships with people he would never have met otherwise. He's learned more about his character. And most importantly, he's deepened his personal relationship with God. "I now look to Christ more than I ever have before for strength, confidence, support and encouragement," he says.

Kyle has learned to use different leadership styles in different situations. As a basketball co-captain his junior year with two senior teammates, he found ways to respect them by leading by example or through encouragement. As a resident assistant, Kyle must now take on a more vocal and authoritative leadership role.

He has also learned that leadership requires personal discipline. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices," says Kyle. "If a group of my friends are going out on a Friday night and I have a basketball game the next day, it would probably be a wise idea not to go out."

His advice for future student leaders: "Stay organized," said Kyle, who makes daily to-do lists. "Writing things down reduces stress and helps you be prepared and confident. And above all, focus on God, and have him be in control of your life."

Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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