College Organizations Networking Now Each Creating Ties (CONNECT):

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 The purpose of the CONNECT program is to provide disabled college students with access to leadership opportunities. It is believed that through these opportunities, college students with disabilities will develop skills that will carry them though their college education and future careers. By engaging disabled people at the college level, CONNECT hopes to create a generation of future leaders that are both educated on issues facing the disability community, and active in their advancement. In addition to being an intern with the CONNECT program, I have also been a participant. The leadership skills I take with me from this experience are a direct reflection on the promise of this great program.

Motivation is a major factor in anyone’s success. Without a passion for what you do, your accomplishment will be trivial and will lack meaning. Working for the CONNECT program gave me a first hand look at what motivation means. Everyone working for CONNECT is motivated by the vision of the organization. It made me realize how much more gratifying work can be if you respect your efforts. Understanding motivation was paramount to my work as well. While most organizations have interns file papers, direct phone calls, and sort mail; CONNECT gave us real objectives to accomplish. Working on these objectives from a satellite location was difficult because you have to be motivated without direct supervision. Understanding the drive behind my co-workers helped me catch the momentum of the program, and allowed me to eagerly pursue our objectives.

Motivation, or a passion for what you do, is also a major factor in the way you present yourself professionally. Strong communication skills are also important to success. Most disabled people lack pride in themselves and are hindered by their inability to advocate for their work. Because I was motivated by the CONNECT program, and the possibilities it holds for future leaders; I was able to successfully network with every person I met with. From this internship, I carry with me the knowledge that if I am excited about what I do, I can communicate with others in a way that sparks the same excitement within them.

As stated above, the CONNECT internship was not like any other internship, or leadership experience I have ever had. The staff placed great responsibility on the interns, and trusted us to accomplish our objectives to the best of our abilities. For the first time in my life, I was able to experience the feelings of pride in accomplishing something meaningful, and the stress of struggling to achieve something you care deeply about. This experience taught me a lot about taking responsibility in what I do.

This internship has been a truly life chancing experience. As I look back over the last several months, I see changes in myself that will allow me to continue developing into a leader of tomorrow. Not only was I able to work for great people, on an important program; but I was able to develop from that same program. CONNECT will be an instrument of great change for the disability community, and I am pleased to have had an opportunity to be a part it.

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