Mirelle Pierini is the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement's Student Leader of the Week for Sept. 19-25.

Pierini is from Maumelle, Ark., and is majoring in international business with an economics emphasis and international relations.

Pierini is an intern with the Volunteer Action Center. She became involved in the Volunteer Action Center because she thought it would be a great opportunity to meet other people with similar interests, and to have a chance to donate some of her time to worthy causes.

Pierini sees good listening skills as one of the key characteristics of a leader. "The members of our teams have great ideas and if we ignore them then we are really missing out on great opportunities to improve our organizations," she explained. "I also feel that a leader needs to be a good communicator to be able to let your team members know what needs to be accomplished. Communication also helps to build bonds between a leader and his/her team so that when a team member has some input they know it is okay to let their ideas be heard."

Pierini's most memorable Razorback moment was when she watched all of the students coming together to volunteer on Make a Difference Day in 2009, as it was an uplifting scene to see many working together to improve the community.

Her favorite quote is from Howard Thurman: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

The Student Leader of the Week award recognizes a University of Arkansas undergraduate student for excellence in leadership through campus involvement leadership activities or through volunteer and community service programs.

The criteria for nominated students are:

Good academic and disciplinary standing with the University of Arkansas:

Exemplifies leadership through personal development, organizational leadership, citizenship and community building.

 

The Center for Leadership and Community Engagement invites the campus community to nominate students who fit the qualifications.All nomination forms should be submitted to Adrain Smith, Assistant Director of Leadership in the Center for leadership and Community Engagement, Arkansas Union room A665, or via e-mail at atsmith@uark.edu by the first Friday of each month. All nominations will be kept on file and considered for future weeks.