Tufts Blogs

Since 1852, Tufts University has prepared exceptional students in diverse fields for lives of learning and leadership. Its dedication to the liberal arts, vital research enterprise, and collaborative, interdisciplinary culture combine to pique interest and have a significant global influence. 

Growing up in the Kenyan North, I have always been interested in leadership. However, things sometimes get out of hand to the point that I did not realize what the future held, and what God had in store for me. 

I got interested in leadership for the first time in class five of elementary school. I recall starting little campaigns and urging my friends to cast ballots for me. I had a significant lead over my other student rivals when I won the elections. The job description was straightforward, as it just involved assisting the teachers and keeping an eye on the students' progress. Other responsibilities included organizing activities and keeping the classroom tidy, as well as bringing assignments to the teachers' offices on behalf of the other students.

Transitioning to Tufts University was an immersion into a new world brimming with opportunities. My first impression of Tufts was that of a melting pot of intellects from across all continents, a beacon of knowledge for the world’s most talented minds. The thought of competing for and being chosen for a leadership role sounded nearly unbelievable.

Still, my goals remained unabated. I discovered that Tufts offered an endless array of opportunities. I've long talked about my desire to one day hold the office of President of Kenya or Governor of Samburu. With its encouraging atmosphere, Tufts seemed to be the ideal place to nurture such ambitions.

The Tufts Community Union(TCU) is the Tufts governing body comprising the TCU senate, TCU Judiciary and The Community on Student Life. I was moved and impressed by the TCU Senate after reading the Constitution and keeping up with the wonderful initiatives the body undertakes to enhance the Tufts University experience for students. I understood that in order for a young person to have a positive influence and become a transformative leader in the future, they needed to begin by developing their leadership abilities and learning about the workings of the world, some of the most important issues facing humanity, and the most effective ways to address those issues.  Tufts University is portraying and openly providing all the tools and resources I needed to learn problem-solving and leadership techniques and establish myself as a leader. It's just a matter of me making that decision and committing myself to a bigger responsibility than myself.

Upon introspection, I made the decision to run for the Senate position. My goal wasn't simply to run for office; I wanted to run and win, or at the very least, come out on the other side with an amazing experience. Naturally, campaigns were difficult, and I had many questions about my desire to succeed. I made announcements in classes and to my close friends, reached out to students, and created Instagram groups for campaigns. One of the things that sparked my campaign approach was my background as an athlete. I used the fact that I play ping pong, pool, and soccer and have made lots of friends there to reach out to a wider audience.

My philosophy is that you will be driven to finish something to the best of your ability once you get started.

One of the key manifestos I was pushing was creating a robust toolkit to assist international students who are struggling financially to pay for their journeys home over the summer, winter, or spring breaks.

It was on a Friday afternoon the 23rd of February, I was in New York City when I received the election results through an email and the first words I saw were “Congratulations and welcome to the TCU Senate”. Honestly, I must have been the happiest man on earth at that specific moment.

I could not hide the joy and the excitement. I knew I was onto something special. When I look back to how I made this decision and my leadership journey in general, all that comes to my mind is a world of opportunities. While the path might be rocky, it is still possible to do what you want to do. Just dream and go for it. Institutions like Tufts serve as catalysts, empowering emerging leaders to leave an indelible mark on the world.