Joseph Doria, a Finance major, attended the 2024 US Military Academy at West Point MacDonald Conference for Leaders of Character. It was a life-changing experience for Joseph where he had the opportunity to meet cadets as well as students from all over the world coming from many different universities, all bringing their own unique backgrounds and experiences.
A top takeaway for Joseph was related to the selfless nature of leadership. “Leadership is a selfless act that I really never realized. You put people before yourself, you lead everyone to be the best they can be, getting the greatest part of people out into the world.”
In addition to the inspiring speakers he heard on the subject of Leading with Character, Joseph’s favorite experiences were the opportunities he was given to train with the cadets. A 5:30am run to Fort Putnam turned into the opportunity to learn the concept of “no man left behind.” He learned to take a mirror and a map wherever you go. “A mirror shows who you are and who you’ve been, and a map shows where you are going,” and both invite you to ask questions about others. “Who are the people there? What are their cultures like? What are their ideas?” The obstacle course taught Joseph to push himself to be the greatest he can be, and how to lead others by encouraging and supporting them in their own pursuits.
The conference left Joseph with a deeper desire to never stop learning, beyond college and into life. “The world moves and if we stand still, we’re going to move backwards.”
“It was truly a great experience and one I will never forget.”