My name is Maria Valentina Garcia, but people know me as Val. I am sophomore at the University of Maryland. I grew up in Baltimore County and graduated from Hereford High School in Parkton, Maryland in 2019. I am in the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences (BSOS) pursuing a degree in psychology with a bachelors in science. What I am hoping to get out of the University of Maryland and my scholars program, Public Leadership, as a whole, is a better understanding of what I want to achieve after college. I am hoping that the University of Maryland will give be the tools and all possible opportunities to reach my full potential and succeed in my future. What I would like to gain from my program, Public Leadership, is a better understanding of what it takes to be a great leader so that I can apply it in my life. After three semesters in this program, I believe that Public Leadership has given me the foundation to my knowledge in leadership. I think this will benefit me in my career and life in general because I’ve learned how to use my natural leadership qualities and make them more prominent. All throughout high school I was involved in leadership roles, whether it was president of a club or captain of my volleyball team, I always knew what it meant to be a leader. When I first came to the University of Maryland, it was intimidating to get involved in the school. In high school I found that since I knew everyone and everyone knew me, it was easier to stand out. In college, I feel like it’s harder to make myself known, but with Public Leadership, I’ve learned about confidence and now, as a sophomore, I am less intimidated by letting people know I exist. Instead of just knowing the meaning of leadership, I now know what an effective leader is and I believe that this will help me in all aspects of my life. I am now confident in my leadership qualities and believe that I will be applying the things I’ve learned in this program for the rest of my life.