We all know it to be true: Kappa Delta means confidence. And confident women often find themselves in leadership positions. However, being a leader doesn’t mean ordering others around and only doing things your way. Being a leader means guiding, mentoring, trusting, and doing so with confidence. As Amanda Meyer (Eta Beta–Bradley) finishes her senior year of college, she reflects back on her collegiate experience and how Kappa Delta helped shape her along the way. A recipient of the Corre Anding Stegall Leadership Award and the Ruth Rouse Dolberg scholarship through the Kappa Delta Foundation, Amanda will graduate with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in accounting. Her dream is to one day put her accounting skills to use in an organization that focuses on minimizing the effects and breaking the cycle of poverty in low-income communities. Amanda is grateful for the confidence Kappa Delta gave her to pursue leadership in both her field and in her life. 

Lead by listening. 

“During my time as vice president-standards, I learned to hear situations and perspectives that differed from mine greatly,” Amanda says. By facilitating dialogue between herself and her sisters, she learned how to better understand different perspectives and ultimately reach satisfying compromises, where all members felt heard. The key to this was listening. “The past year has shown me how incredibly important it is to bring people into the conversation.” 

Lead while learning. 

Amanda realized that by expanding her horizons and pushing herself to gain additional education, she became a better leader. “KD prepared me to face our current world by adding to my perspective,” she says. “When I joined, I had a narrow view of diversity and life in general. Through KD, I’ve seen how everyone’s unique differences can create change.”  

Lead with authenticity. 

Amanda had the opportunity to attend the National Collegiate Training Academy conference and saw firsthand how no two leaders are the same. “I saw hundreds of different leaders from around the country. This showed me that leaders don’t need to fit in one box, but through varying leadership styles, personal backgrounds and experiences, we’re all able to make a difference in our organizations.” By leading in a way that felt true to her, Amanda was able to make the biggest impact.  

Lead by inspiring. 

“Kappa Delta taught me how to empower people,” says Amanda. “At first, I had difficulty delegating tasks to others, but I began to see how capable my sisters were.” Amanda found that by creating space for others to forge their own paths, she could instill confidence in her sisters along the way. “By the end, I was excited to see what committees came up with on their own.” Having the confidence to step aside, away from the spotlight, and feel comfortable doing so made Amanda a better leader. “I think this is a skill that can be applied at any time in life.” 

Lead with values. 

“While the leadership aspect of Kappa Delta has helped me grow personally and professionally, redefining friendship is my biggest takeaway from my sorority experience,” Amanda recalls. “Before college, I didn’t view friendships as something that would last a lifetime.” After joining KD and devoting time to her chapter and her sisters, Amanda cannot imagine her life without her closest friends. “Not only have I grown in leadership, but I’ve also grown as a friend. I’ve seen how friends can genuinely turn into family, which resulted in deeper, more meaningful relationships. I look forward to being there for my sisters throughout our lifelong membership in Kappa Delta, no matter how far away we are or how long it has been since our last interaction.” 

To learn more about Kappa Delta scholarships, click opens in a new windowhere.