Our most recent #WITwants2know question came from Brigit Bratland and Bryan Schartel, who are collaborating on a Phase III project. They were looking for some data, which revealed that 56% of respondents do not feel confident planning and preparing nutritious, cost-effective meals. We wanted to know more about why Brigit and Bryan are participating in Wentworth Leadership Institute, we asked them a few questions of our own.
Why did you choose to participate in Wentworth Leadership Institute?
BRIGIT: I originally decided to begin Phase I in the Wentworth Leadership Institute because I wanted to be a Resident Assistant. I continued in the series of classes because I found that I was using the skills I learned in my everyday life rather than just in my capacity as an RA.
BRYAN: When I was in the Navy, I realized there were Leaders, and then there were people in leadership positions. The two didn’t always align, but when they did it was reflected in our working environment and overall morale. I realized quickly that I didn’t ever want to be just a person in a leadership position. I thought that Wentworth Leadership Institute would be a good way to hone my skills.
What is one thing you have learned about yourself from Wentworth Leadership Institute?
BRIGIT: I have found that I’m not a bad leader, but that I don’t always need to be the one in charge. Sometimes the best way to be a contributing member of a group is take instruction from someone else, especially if they know more about the topic.
BRYAN: I’ve learned that there are many subtle ways to lead, and many overt ones. I find that I tend to prefer using the subtle ones, such as not declaring myself a leader overtly, but leading by example.
What is Phase III and why is it important?
BRIGIT: Phase III is a student driven project, very similar to a capstone project that would be done in one of Wentworth’s majors. It’s important because it gives students who have gone through Phase I and II a channel to make an impact at the school in an area that they are passionate about.
BRYAN: Phase 3 is the capstone to the Leadership Institute. It involves a project much like the senior project, usually driven towards improving the Wentworth Community in an ongoing manner.
Any thoughts you want to share about your phase III project?
BRIGIT: The project that Bryan and I are working on encourages students to take an active part in being knowledgeable about their health and eating habits as well as how those effect each other.
BRYAN:Our Phase 3 project is pretty much a list of things I wish I knew when I was 20 or so, combined with my passion for cooking. The project focuses not only on personal nutrition but the health of our participants bank accounts. The project is designed to increase the knowledge of our participants with regards to both nutritional cooking and meal planning, and Budgeting and shopping for food effectively.
We look forward to hearing more from Bryan and Brigit this upcoming year about their project. To learn more about the Wentworth Leadership Institute, please visit the Center for Student Engagement.