Anatomy of a Student Leader

By Pamela Obando, Residence Life

"Grey’s Anatomy" is the favorite television show of Leah Durnin, the 2007-08 President of the UA Residence Hall Association (RHA), one of the largest student organizations on campus. It inspired her to create and submit a program at the National Association for College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) attended by 2,700 college students this past summer in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Out of more than 200 programs submitted, Leah’s program “Leadership Anatomy” received a “Top 40” program award. The program led students through an “intern test” based on the show’s characters and then had them do a diagnosis of several RHA-related cases and prescribe treatments based on their leadership traits. Leah herself has some stellar leadership qualities.

A graduate of Desert Vista High School in Ahwatukee, Arizona, Leah is an active UA student yet will complete her degree in three years with a major in Political Science and minor in Spanish. She has been the News Director at KAMP Student Radio for two years, a volunteer for “Relay for Life”, works as a hostess at El Parador restaurant, and has been very active in Residence Life since her freshman year. Leah credits her former hall directors, Ramya Kumar at Apache-Santa-Cruz, and Laura Tripp at La Paz with inspiring her to get involved in hall council and RHA activities. As she grew in her leadership roles, Leah has had the opportunity to attend several national and regional RHA conferences and has been further inspired by RHA advisors Ed Gilhool and Nina Perreira to consider a future career in Student Affairs. Leah also has her heart set on studying or working in Chile after graduation.

Leah’s face lights up as she describes herself as “passionate about student leadership.”
As president of RHA this year Leah outlined her major goals:

• Motivate students to get involved in the UA community—in their residence halls and throughout the campus
• Create greater recognition for RHA on campus
• Put on great programs to engage and inspire students
• Continue to develop great friendships through RHA

In addition to Leah winning a “Top 40” program at NACURH, Alla Goldman, another UA delegate, also won for her program, “Breaking the Ice with Interpretive Dance.” And UA won the “Most Spirited School” Award for 2007—the most prestigious award other than “National School of the Year”—which UA won in 2005! As RHA prepares to bid on hosting the 2009 NACURH conference at UA, Leah and other current  RHA leaders promise to return and help make it the best national conference yet!

Pamela Obando can be contacted via email at Obando@life.arizona.edu