HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO
Gabrielle Sawyer
SPRING 2014
gabsawyer@my.uri.edu

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strengths
Opening Statement
Section 1: Self Leadership
Section 2: Leadership Theories
Section 3: Inclusive Leadership
Section 4: Critical Thinking
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership

SLIDE 4
SLIDE 5
SLIDE 6
SLIDE 7
SLIDE 8
SLIDE 9

*If you do not have one outcome from each area of the Inventory completed,
you may opt to choose 2 from one of the sections.

Signature Strengths
Learner
Achiever
Futuristic
Focus
Consistency

Values in Action Strengths

Honesty
Kindness
Love
Judgment
Perseverance

OPENING STATEMENT
After taking HDF 190, I have learned that I have a unique
way of leading myself and others. With my values and
strengths as my guides, I encourage everyone to strive for
and reach their full potential. HDF 190 taught me that
everyone has something to offer, and how to apply that to
leading individually and in groups.

SECTION 1
SELF LEADERSHIP
(1 Highlighted outcome)

Additional Experience: URI 101

I believe that my moral compass or so to speak is relatively ethical. I may make my
mistakes here or there, but I know what I believe is to be right or wrong. My moral compass
has been challenged at college on numerous occasions, especially with my roommates. We
definitely dont agree on a lot, especially when it comes to telling the truth and not
jeopardizing someones feelings. They have tried to convince me many times to lie to cover up
whatever may have happened, but I know that I wouldnt want someone to lie to me. They
also dont see the need to be faithful in a dating relationship, so whenever they come to me for
advice regarding that, I tell them that I do not agree with the decisions they are making so I
cant help them. Although they may not follow the more ethical things, college has taught me
to stick with what I believe in, no matter what the circumstance is.

SECTION 2
Leadership Theory and Models
(1 Highlighted outcome)
Additional Experience: URI 101, Sigma Kappa, SOLC

Servant Leadership is a theory created by Robert Greenleaf to build better

organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. It consists of 10
characteristics broken into three parts on a Venn diagram, the servant, the leader and
where the two come together. A servant leader is a servant first, which stands out to me
because it means that the person has to make sacrifices and be selfless in order to help
the growth of the people around them. Servant leadership is a commitment and want to
help people grow, its never forced, and should occur naturally. A servant leader shares
power, puts others first, and helps people grow as effectively as possible.

SECTION 3
Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its application to leadership
(1 Highlighted outcome)
Additional Experience- HDF 190 & URI 101

I believe that being an inclusive leader is very important because you have to be able to
see that every person has potential. You have to be able to take everyones individual
strengths and help grow from them. Being an inclusive leader will not only help the
people in your group or community grow, but also get a very positive outlook on social
change. Each person, despite values and beliefs, has something amazing to offer, so
being inclusive will help great ideas form and cause everyone to focus on a common
goal.

SECTION 4
Critical Thinking
(1 Highlighted outcome)
Additional Experiences: GCH 104

In my Grand Challenges class, we are required to do a Service Learning project to give

back to the community here at URI. The group I had been assigned to came up with this
amazing idea to go work with the special education program at a local high school, and
help them raise money. After all this planning, the trip fell apart, causing us to panic
because the due date was approaching. This panic caused my group to realize that we
needed to accomplish something, not only for our grades but for the community. After a
lot of brain storming, we decided to walk the Autism Awareness walk, open up a face
painting table, and raise money for the cause. Despite this being a little past the due date,
our professors were inspired by the dedication our group had put forth, and allowed us to
extend the due date. I personally contacted the woman in charge of the walk, and she
fortunately allowed us to take part in the walk and have our table. I knew this needed to
be done, and was more than willing to help my group take a step in the right direction.

SECTION 5
(Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts and Skills ) (1 Highlighted outcome)
Additional Experience: SOLC

At a retreat that I was shadowing, the facilitators accidentally left about 15 minutes of the
retreat unplanned, causing the participants to become bored and restless. Although I was just a
shadow, I wanted to try something to give the facilitators more time, so I asked our lead
facilitator if I could run a game. It was approved and I got another shadow to partake with me.
The game I chose was Gotcha, a game where you have to try and grab the persons finger to
the right of you, while getting your finger to escape the person to the left of you when the
facilitator says gotcha!. Everyone that was participating in the retreat were laughing and
enjoying themselves during the game, and when we were debriefing at the end of the retreat, a
few of the participants brought it up saying how much they loved it.