Finding My Strengths at William and Mary

As spring semester of my junior year is now in full swing, I am gaining confidence in my abilities as a person because of the opportunities I’ve had here at the College.  It wasn’t long ago when I found myself overwhelmed by freshmen orientation and the stories of my fellow classmates that made me feel a bit intimidated.  My OA’s although great, also made me realize that I had a lot to accomplish in my four years here at the College. One had already secured a great job before his senior year even had begun, and the other was a strong candidate to get into whatever grad school she would have wanted.

Being out of state and the only student from my high school, I knew that I had the unique opportunity of a clean slate and the ability to take my life in whatever direction I wanted.  Through my time here, I have gotten involved in so many student organizations that have helped me realize my potential.  The best decisions that I have made thus far were to get involved with reslife by being an RA, running for the Undergraduate Honor Council, and joining AMP, our activities board.  Because of these involvements, I have realized my potential to work with a wide variety of people and be good at it.

I have moved up the ranks of reslife and next year I have the honor of being one of twelve head residents. In order to get that job, I had to grow so much from freshmen year.  I have learned about networking with people, the importance of being a good friend, and how to deal with almost any extreme situation you can think.  If you are not true to your friends and your relationships, quick on your feet, and confident in your abilities, it will be hard to to reach your full potential.  Reslife has given me the opportunity to reach my potential and I am extremely greatful for it.

The challenges of being extremely involved on campus while keeping a focus on academics have been difficult at times, but it is through these experiences at the college that I have been able to build a foundation that will allow me to be a successful person.  I don’t know if I would be in the same position now if I had not come to William and Mary. Experiencing the value of community here has made me not only want to do what I can to make it even better, but it also has shown me how to build community in other aspects of my life.

This summer I have the unique opportunity to intern at the Wildlife Institute of India, thanks to one of my professors. I know that I am prepared to take on the challenges of doing research and living in a completely different environment thanks to the time I have spent here at the College.  Senior year is right around the corner, and although I am not entirely sure what I want to do with my double major of Government and Environmental Policy, I know that I will tap on experiences from here to succeed.

Dawson Lindauere
Class of 2010