Jennie's Student Leadership Project
Project Summary
The day of the garden installation, we installed a garden in an old koi pond, planted shrubs and perennials in Katherine's front yard, planted a few trees that Katherine had purchased and needed planted, and planted 2 container gardens. However, before the actual project could take place, a lot of planning had to happen. Throughout the planning process, I learned fundraising, project management, budgeting, and leadership skills, all in line with the mission of the Student Leadership Initiative. The chart below explains skills the internship helps students develop.
To raise money for the project, I had to reach out to my network. I used my personal Facebook page, as well as my family farm's Facebook page, and the Student Leadership Initiative's social media pages. I am not big on social media, but fundraising in today's world requires it, so I had to learn how to use it effectively. Project management was another skill that was hard for me to learn. I really like to be in control, so delegating tasks the day of the installation was difficult. I had to realize that I could not do everything myself. Instead, I helped others accomplish those tasks. Budgeting was also a skill I learned with project management. I had to make sure that I had enough money for everything I wanted to do and plan accordingly. Lastly, my project with Student Leadership Initiative allowed me to hone my existing leadership skills. Everything I learned throughout my project has helped me become more marketable to future employers, which is important to me as I will be entering the job market soon!