Sydney states in her essay that words of advice from her dad have truly impacted her abilities to be a successful leader. His powerful words were, “There are three things successful people do: they take notes, set goals, and they like to see other people succeed.” Sydney put her dad’s wise words to practice while she was an undergraduate student at Longwood University, and continues to seek opportunities to grow while she pursues her MBA degree. While practicing these skills she realized that they are not just nice words, but that it is critical that these skills be put into practice in order to be a successful citizen leader.
She has pursued roles and behaviors to be a leader in every organization, class, or job position held. She has been elected to positions with the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, Zeta Tau Alpha, and the Women’s Club Volleyball team. Having the desire to be a role model for the next generation, she has also been a children's camp counselor. With each of these extracurricular organizations and their activities she expanded her Circle of Influence to increase the organization’s recruitment efforts and encourage the personal growth and development of its members and recipients. In the process of helping others, she has also grown in her leadership capacity and personal fulfillment.
Her references all commented on Sydney’s high intellect, motivation, approachability, strong work ethic, and communication and leadership skills. She was considered to exceed expectations with both classwork and community involvement.
These principles and practices form the foundation in which “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Training” is based. Selection criteria for the recipient of this scholarship seek to identify the exceptional individual who personifies the goals and mission of the SNVC Institute as facilitated in “The 7 Habits” training. We believe that Sydney Winfield is the person truly deserving of this award.