“Fail Harder” would not necessarily come to mind when I think about what words to motivate me. But Virginia Gamma Katherine Ambrose sees these words as words of a true leader. Coming from Portland, Oregon, to Williamsburg, Virginia, was a big leap of faith, especially not knowing anyone at the College of William & Mary. Katherine knew she would need to put herself out there to make this her new home, so she got involved from the moment she stepped onto campus. She used these words to reminder herself: If you’re going to go for it, regardless if you succeed or fail, be loud about it!

“I always considered myself to be a leader,” Katherine recollects. “In high school, it was one brand and one kind of person to be a leader.” But experimenting with various opportunities at William & Mary, like Campus Tour Guide and Junior Class President, allowed Katherine to redefine what leadership means to her. Now, she understands that a leader is not the role in the spotlight or the person speaking all the time. In different groups, the leader can be various positions, but overall it is the person or persons who provide a place where the group can thrive together.

Katherine has created her leadership model by remembering, “a leader is the type of person you’re trying to be or wanting to be.” She has set her own self-development and personal goals to be this kind of person for others. All that she has been involved in has set her up with a good foundation and skills to carry over to be a leader in her professional career once she graduates in May.