High Point University issued the following announcement on Jan. 28.
Extraordinary Leaders are HPU students recognized for excellence and service performed inside and outside the classroom. They are nominated by faculty, staff and fellow students for striving to make a difference in the larger community. Such students lead by example, have a high regard for academic endeavors and are committed to improving our community at large. To celebrate these Extraordinary Leaders, we are regularly highlighting the students who have received this recognition.
Katy Parisi is a graduating senior from San Ramon, California. She’s majoring in strategic communication with minors in public and professional writing, political science, and social media marketing. She plans to go into the field of law and is currently pursuing various law school programs. Parisi has held multiple leadership roles on campus, acting as a university ambassador captain, writing center consultant, and holding positions in the Student Government Association as the vice president for academic affairs, and currently student body president.
How have you been personally impacted and changed through your experiences at HPU?
When I came to High Point University, I felt eager to grow as a leader and a change agent, but had no sense of how or why I wanted to do so. The HPU community has given me a purpose and opportunities to be a voice for students through the leadership positions I have held. Not only have I made my lifelong friends, but I have developed relationships with faculty and staff in every corner of campus that will provide me support, guidance and encouragement throughout the next stages of my life. With the skills I have gained at High Point University, I am ready to address any challenge that comes into my life. I also have had the opportunity to meet and listen to influential leaders, including Dr. John Maxwell, HPU’s Executive Coach in Residence. He discussed what makes a good leader during the PBS airing of “Side by Side with Dr. Qubein,” and what stuck out to me the most was maintaining humility. He also described that without the internal values that make a good leader, the external couldn’t be there in its fullest. Interacting with and learning from executive professionals is one part of the HPU experience that has helped me develop as a professional and as a person.
If a high school student asked you why to attend HPU, what would you say?
Attending HPU will set you up for success in every way. The resources and people on this campus will develop you as a person, friend, student, leader and professional. The community on this campus is unmatched and is the driving force behind all of the growth I have had in the past three and a half years, and I know it will do the same for you.
What’s one way you generate creativity or productivity?
By listening to others and being flexible in the way I work, I have found creative solutions efficiently. Sometimes reflecting on what has worked and understanding what hasn’t worked helps me better prepare a plan for moving forward, especially when road bumps occur.
What is your favorite quote?
“Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don’t do it just for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg
This quote influences me to do more every day for those around me. Repetition, at times, can become so routine that it feels meaningless, but the little things you do for others every single day could have a lasting impact that you may never live to see.
What is your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place on campus is Slane Student Center. Every time I sit in Slane, whether I’m eating in the Café, working in the Writing Center, leading a tour starting at the Welcome Center or grabbing a coffee at Starbucks with a friend, I feel the love of HPU all around me. Slane was the first building I ever entered on campus when I visited in 2018, and it is a place where I have shared so many laughs and have great memories of.
What is your favorite sculpture on campus?
My favorite sculpture on campus is of Amelia Earhart. She was a female pioneer who defied the odds of what people expected of women. She displayed bravery, determination and intelligence, which are all traits I strive to uphold every day.
What do you love most about being a student at HPU?
The community of people at HPU is what I love most. The opportunity to meet my best friend, Caroline Siedel, my biggest mentors, Sam Carr and Dr. Brandon Lenoir, and the great family around me, including my peers in the Student Government Association Executive Council and Alpha Gamma Delta family, has been unmatched. These people are the ones I love dearly and keep me going through the most troubling times. Everything isn’t always perfect, but with the family I’ve been so lucky to have found at High Point University, I always feel surrounded by love and support.
Original source can be found here.
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