One of the inaugural inductees into Lynn University’s Student Leadership Hall of Fame, Natalie Capiro '10, '11, '14, is a strong proponent of leadership and helping others reach their potential. She’s on her fourth degree and seventh year of employment at Lynn and has stayed involved with her alma mater in “every which way.”
Lynn is a place she calls home, a place she believes in and a place where she has fulfilled her goals.
Here is what she had to say about leadership, her years of involvement at Lynn and her “never-ending” advice to other students.
Why do you believe you were nominated to the Hall of Fame?
I believe I was nominated because someone believed in me. My philosophy of leadership does not mean being at the top, but rather lifting as many as possible to reach [their] top. If I accomplished that, I have done everything that matters in leadership.
What does it mean to you?
It means everything! Though that may sound quite broad, it truly finds its way into every aspect of my professional and personal pursuits. To be recognized in any particular “Hall of Fame” expresses “legacy,” and to leave a legacy of leadership in an institution I wholeheartedly believe in, to me, means I have fulfilled my professional and personal philosophies thus far.
What activities were you involved in during your studies on campus?
I was the student who attended all events (especially if it involved music and/or coffee). I believe my first [big] event was as part of the pilot group to visit Haiti. After this journey, I realized I was a part of a university with more than a mere goal of academic successes, literature and exams; but, a university with bigger goals for its students: become somebody, be a part of something bigger, and discover that depth within yourself.
As a resident assistant, my goal was simple: to create an environment where everybody felt like somebody. Many in our “Healthy Lifestyles” wing now live in different parts of the world, changing the world. I then became a community advisor.
How do you stay involved with Lynn?
I am a proud employee of the university for seven years now, with experiences in Student Affairs, Office of Admission and Enrollment, Academic Affairs and I am currently studying for my fourth degree as a doctoral student. I am an educator. Lynn has become more than a career. It has become a place I call home, where I have been able to achieve all I have ever envisioned for myself thanks to the extraordinary people I have met along the way. It is where I created visions for my future, my alma mater and my place of work—a place I wholeheartedly believe in every aspect.
Any advice to current students?
My advice to students is never-ending. If I had to narrow it down, it would be:
You were born for purpose.
- Act upon this statement daily and everything you do will be for a reason.
- Bring as many as you can along your journey. Two or more are greater than one.
- Always believe those who believe in you. This is how leaders are born.
My philosophies then were as they are now. Again, my definition of leadership is to recognize the greatness in individuals as well as in communities and assist individuals in realizing greatness within themselves.
