{"id":2869,"date":"2021-02-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lead.worcester.edu\/?p=2329"},"modified":"2024-08-22T18:51:36","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T18:51:36","slug":"student-jess-wicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worcester.edu\/campus-life\/2021\/02\/09\/student-jess-wicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Jess Wicks Brings Memphis to WSU"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

To understand Jessica Wicks is to understand a little about where she comes from; Memphis, Tennessee. The home of soul. A city full of a spirit, energy, and intensity seldom matched anywhere else. A name meaning established, enduring, and beautiful. And a history reaching as far back as the pharaohs, where the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis was called \u201cthe life of the two lands,\u201d an everlasting place.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Many of the things that describe Memphis can also describe Jess, both as a leader and an individual. Her leadership style is positive, energetic, and motivating, welcoming to those around her. Coming to Worcester State has allowed her to break out of her shell and grow while learning to be the best leader she can be.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Leading with Soul<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Jess credits the experience of working as an Orientation Leader<\/a> between her freshman and sophomore year as the start of her leadership journey. The position allowed her to get to know campus faculty and staff members, interact with students, and learn everything she could about campus.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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2019 Orientation Leader Team<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThat feeling I felt, being on stage, talking to people, and having someone look up to you in a way…I\u2019ve never had that feeling. I think my favorite thing was just being around people, and learning and growing; I just felt on top of the world for that summer. I had friends who were like \u2018Jess, you were so different when you were an Orientation Leader.\u2019 I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s a good thing or a bad thing, but to me it\u2019s a good thing that I was on top of the world. I was doing something I loved and I made connections.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Spending time talking with small groups of first-year students gave Jess the opportunity to build relationships with them, and some of her students later joined her in club meetings or became her residents. They\u2019ve become friends, supporting one another through the ups and downs of college student life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI love being around people, I love helping people, that\u2019s one thing about me. Just being around people is my ideal…being that friend for someone, has really helped me in my leadership style. Because yes, I’m here to lead and give you direction, but I\u2019m also here to build that friendship with you and really be that mentor, that peer for you, to help you grow.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Relying on Energy & Spirit<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Holding leadership positions on the Orientation and Residence Life<\/a> require more than just practical skill; they require a type of energy and determination that helps during even the most difficult and demanding of times. These positions have taught Jess the importance of having a strong team around her, made up of people who can provide support and help.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Jess at resident move-in day 2020<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to do it all. It\u2019s okay to do one thing, to have two things that you\u2019re good at, you don\u2019t have to take on like, ten things at a time. I feel like that\u2019s the best lesson that I\u2019ve learned. And I think just as a leader, do what you can handle. And just be the best you can at that.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A spirit of determination to forge a new path has also followed Jess from back home. The first time she applied to work as a Resident Assistant, she wasn\u2019t offered the position. But instead of becoming frustrated, she threw herself into her Orientation Leader role and opportunities rippled from there. To a student who isn\u2019t sure about applying for a role or job they want? She recommends they just go for it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cJust do it. What do you have to lose? I applied for RA, but I didn\u2019t get it that year, but you know, OL was the thing I got and I will forever be thankful for that because it was the start of something. It\u2019s a ripple effect. Different programs open up different opportunities. Just go for it, you won\u2019t regret it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Jess describes a great leader as someone who is open and honest, a good listener, and willing to take criticism and advice from others. But most importantly, they should be themselves.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cDon\u2019t try to be like any other type of leader that you see; I wouldn\u2019t want anyone to try and be like me. Of course you can like some of my characteristics, but [you should] truly be yourself. I think a lot of leaders aim to be just like a certain person, but you kind of screw yourself over in the end. But if you truly be yourself and just be open and honest, then that\u2019s the best type of leader that you can be; that\u2019s what makes you unique.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\u201cThe Life of the Two Lands\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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