Leadership Advancement Scholar is a program at CMU that offers a $8,000 scholarship over four years and entrance into the program to obtain a Leadership minor. LAS (the actinium) consist of fifty members who all live in Barnes hall together for their first year of college. Along with living with those fifty members you will also take classes together for the next four years following the guidelines of your protocol.
Now that I have gave the generic introduction to LAS I’m going to drive into the real LAS. I’m going to say it right off the bat when I first started the program my freshman year fall semester I hated it I thought “what am I doing here, this is not what I thought it was going to be.” After a few weeks I soon realized I was not alone in this and that is when it became clear that I don’t hate this program I hate the change my life is experiencing at the moment.
LAS is an experience that is like non other you enter a new place and meet new people but its as you are already great friends and that’s what is comforting. Knowing fifty people entering college has been the one thing that has helped me get through it so far. knowing you can go down the hall and ask for help, or if someone has something is comforting. Building relationships with people and knowing that they have your back is comforting. Now ill be honest their are people that you will meet in your cohort that you simple just have strong differences and what you should know it that, that’s okay. Already in my First semester their is someone who I completely don’t talk to because over the course of a few months you realize that their are people that you should just not have in your life and that is for your health but its okay. Now after making you probably think OMG everyone will hate me. Don’t think that way the people here are welcoming, kind and leaders that’s why they were chosen.
LAS has taught me so many life lessons so far and I know that even though I had a rough start it will get better. I know that this program is indeed the best in the country for a reason and that is that they value you and your abilities, they believe in you. So this is my story of LAS and I encourage anyone and everyone to look into it because it will provide you with so many opportunities, friendships and it will help you grow as a leader and individual.
Kyle Wright 