As an employee of a small non-profit organization with a correspondingly small budget, I am truly appreciative for the Leadership Westerville scholarship. I have lived in the community for almost five years and have been able to get involved in different ways through work and other personal commitments. But the program allows for a deeper look within the community revealing the connectivity and strength between the different organizations, while also providing an appreciation and understanding of Westerville’s past and how much of that has and continues to shape Westerville today. I have learned a multitude of ways that I can be a better citizen - through other volunteer opportunities and additional ways to get involved, through my understanding of the local government and the other public services offered here, and through my own conservation measures as highlighted by the City’s electric division community wide efforts. The program has made me more aware of my own leadership style and how I might be most effective in my efforts both professionally and in my personal commitments. It has also provided an opportunity to network and strengthen relationships with my classmates and other individuals throughout the community. I am confident that I will be working with many of these people in the years ahead as we all work in our different ways, to be just a little part of #westervillestrong. It is likely that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity for all of this without the scholarship. I am grateful to have been a recipient – thank you.