Fernando Romero is known for his strengths in empathy, belief, and competition. With empathy, he is encouraged to connect with professors who share this trait and to reflect on the emotions of others through journaling and reading.
Because you’re nonjudgmental and understand the feelings of individuals, you’ll be a welcome addition to most groups
Choose professors who are known for their empathy as well as for their academic expertise.
Discuss issues that are on your mind with your friends. You are usually there for them. Allow them, likewise, to be there for you. Share your feelings with them, because they may not be able to identify feelings as easily as you do.
When you read, identify how you can relate the emotions of the characters to your own or those of people you know. This w
Keep a journal in which you reflect on what you learned from other people and their passions, fears, joys, and other emotions.
Developer
Coach friends who have a specific goal or focus in mind (such as running a marathon or losing weight). Encourage them in their progress.
Choose classes with a field-studies component that involves working with people. This will provide an opportunity to see tangible growth experiences of others and observe how what you learn can be used.
Enroll in classes with group projects, specifically those that include community service opportunities.
Motivate yourself by tutoring or helping someone else in the class to understand concepts you have gained from the lecture, the reading, and the discussion.
Explain to a friend, fellow student, teaching assistant, or professor what you have learned from a book, lecture, or other source.
Learner
Choose challenging courses that will broaden your knowledge base in important areas.
Have lots of conversations on subjects you are passionate about with people who are interested in learning.
Figure out questions that will be asked, and practice answering them in preparation for discussions and exams.
Read outside material that is related to your courses. This approach will not only impress the professor; it also will help you develop a better understanding of the subject.
Competition
Apply at universities and departments within universities where admission standards are highly competitive. Make sure that objective, meaningful, and measurable criteria are used to deter-mine who is selected.
Check your department’s bulletin boards for opportunities to enter contests. Gravitate to contests sponsored by student and professional organizations in your major area of study.
Take advanced-level classes to enhance the odds of winning important academic scholarships, grants, internships, and fellowships.
Establish measurable and meaningful academic goals. Use these to force yourself to reach the highest levels of productivity, mastery, or quality.
Regard grades as your scorecard. Invest more effort in classes where the results of tests, papers, and projects are posted for all to see.
Belief
Tell your classmates and professors about the ideas, causes, and projects you are most passionate about.
Form a study group of individuals with whom you share one or more important belief. Ask each member to describe how these core values contribute to his or her success as a student.
Enroll in ethics classes. Learn to evaluate the rightness of decisions in fields such as science, medicine, business, government, religion, and environmental protection.
Turn down high-paying jobs that force you to compromise your beliefs. Tell the hiring officer that your soul and psyche are not for sale to the highest bidder.
Compare an entity’s mission statement to what it produces or the services it provides. Verify that its guiding principles and its outcomes are in sync.
