When I first stepped into the ballroom at Carroll University, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Through the Wisconsin Leadership Seminars (WILS) weekend I was able to open my eyes to different diversities and issues in the current world and to how people my own age react to those issues. I was also able to develop into more of what I consider a leader to be: taking a stand and managing position to bring people together to get goals accomplished because you choose to help out and enjoy doing it. The unique thing about leadership is that it can take so many different forms with each individual person and situation. WILS is great because it allows leadership to take form in a challenging and constantly developing environment.

The biggest thing that WILS has done for me is it has allowed me to make some lifelong friendships. Because WILS brings people together from all over the state for such a short time, it makes the time we spend together a valued commodity. As I’ve spent more and more weekends with the people from WILS, my relationship with people within the organization has matured. Now, I find many of my friendships with fellow WILSers have developed to the point where I consider them my second family. As a part of this family, we don’t get to spend a lot of time together, but we still have a close bond which keeps us coming back. Now as I am older, I find myself making plans with these friends more and more and it has grown from me seeing WILSers three times a year to being every other day weekend.