Monique Foster demonstrating a breast prosthetic sample to Latonya Darby.

At the beginning of class, I had a very different outlook on leadership than I do now. I thought leadership was about controlling a group of people so that tasks could be accomplished. While in class, I learned that a leader should possess certain values such as the ability to compromise, critical thinking skills, give praise when it is due, and have a plan for conflict resolution. The practicum forced me to think outside the box when conflict occurs. For example, on the day of our presentation, the building had no blinds in the windows. The sun was blinding our audience from the power point presentation. I had to think fast and came up with the idea of taping garbage bags on the windows to save our presentation. Before the practicum, I rarely used my critical thinking skills.There were many times during the formation of the practicum and the portfolio that Shay and I had to put our heads together to complete certain tasks.Now that the class is over, I believe leadership is about doing what is best for your group. Whether you have to stand and cheer on the sidelines and or be the star player, the team is the most important aspect. Although it was long and there were times when I just wanted to give up, I am grateful for this experience and for the opportunity to make a difference in my community. Thank You!!

Monique Foster