UC San Diego

Toward the end of Mr. Burns, Bart is confronted by death and reaches within himself to find the hope and courage necessary to defeat his biggest fear, Mr. Burns. This newfound courage propels Bart to fight back and lead the citizens of Springfield to safety. Many times throughout the production process, I felt like Bart at this moment. Circumstances arose and I had to choose to face my fears or step aside and be defeated.

As Bart realizes in the play, courage comes from a genuine need to protect and defend those you are leading. Throughout this process, I faced many fears and like Bart, found inspiration from my team and colleagues. Courage became essential in leading this production through the many fears and doubts of the unknown.

During my graduate studies, I have been committed to developing a more assertive approach to my leadership style. I have challenged myself to trust my intuition and take courageous risks to create a safe space without fear of judgment and where trust and respect are given freely. I have learned the importance of building trusting and respectful relationships that support and inspire my team to do their best work. By being more assertive, I demonstrate to the collaborative team and the company that I am looking out for their needs. Moving forward I will continue to challenge myself to courageously follow my intuition and be assertive while supporting my collaborators and the production.