Catalina is a 2020 graduate of the VCU LEAD Living, Learning Program, a program for VCU students who are dedicated to developing their individual leadership skills and reaching a greater understanding of leadership. Included in the following portfolio are her experiences and philosophies on leadership.
Find out more on LEAD at lead.vcu.edu
Ram Camp Director
One of my biggest achievements is being hired for the Ram Camp Director position for both Fall 2018 and Fall 2019. This position works with 4 peer Directors, 122 student leaders, and over 600 incoming first year students.
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This position comes with it's ups and downs, and is analyzed using Tuckman's Leadership Development Model.
Girl Scout Troop Leader
Over the past year and half I've been working with a local Girl Scout troop in Henrico, VA and I've had the opportunity to work with them on several levels. This leadership position allows me the opportunity to get connected and build foundations within the community and to help support girls becoming innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders.
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My experience with Troop 3050 in the past year has been opportunities in weekly and bi-weekly troop meetings, camping trips, and being able to run my own troop meeting based on badgework in activities I designed myself.
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Due to the spring 2020 pandemic, our meetings and initiatives have shifted to an online format in lieu of in-person meetings. Learn more on how I adapted out troop's format to best help the girls
STAR Mentor at the YMCA
I have been a volunteer mentor and tutor in the after school program, STAR, that is hosted by the Tuckahoe YMCA. The STAR program focuses on students in Quioccasin Middle School who speak English as a second language. Most of the students are children of immigrants, refugees, or came to the USA seeking a better option. Students come to STAR to get help from high school and college volunteers with their homework.
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I focus on the leadership theory of the 5 Bases of Power, and their connections to my experiences in the past year.
Resident Assistant at VCU
From Summer 2018 until Spring 2020, I served as a Resident Assistant in one of VCU's upperclassman residence halls. I directly oversaw 50 students on my floor, and worked with just under 500 students in the building.
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Our building worked in unison with the Living Learning Program LEAD, that housed all of their students in our building, focusing on a leadership perspective to their interactions.
In this role, I collaborated on 5 building-wide events, and hosted more than 10 individual programs for my residents. My initiatives were focused on individual relationships with residents and forming a strong community on my floor.
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Study Abroad Experiences
In the Summer of 2017, I spent 6 weeks in and travelling around Vienna, Austria. I studied German Language and Austrian History at the University of Vienna.
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In the Summer of 2019, I travelled to Da Nang, Vietnam, studying Mass Communications and the effects of tourism in media at the American University in Vietnam through a partnership with VCU's Robertson School of Media and Culture.
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In the Fall of 2020, I will be travelling to Japan to teach English as a Foreign Language in a Japanese Public School.
NRHH President and Conference Experiences
Over the past four years, I've been heavily involved with VCU's Residential Life and Housing Division. ​
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I have held a variety of roles including President of NRHH, National Communications Coordinator, President of Community Council, RA Liason to Community Council and more.
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Because of these roles, I have attended 7 regional conferences, 3 national conferences, and 3 state conferences and gained innumerable skills.
