Imagine spending days crafting a perfect response to the Webb leadership application questions for, nervous about the responses. Being at Webb, leadership roles are not limited to a few opportunities. There are seven different leadership programs that are designed to help elevate student life. The program includes roles like honor council, peer advisors, international student liaisons, day student prefects, chapel council, student government, and dorm prefects.  Each leadership role represents certain responsibilities that are important in the Webb community. For example, the Prefects manages dorm life and takes care of the residents. The HC participates in the disciplinary process and supports the students. The ISL strives to serve as a form of support for international students to manage life in a foreign country. The Chapel Council helps plan Sunday chapel that represents a theme which empowers the community. Lastly, the student government works on events like theme week and homecoming to promote school spirit. These descriptions are just the beginning of what the leaders at Webb are contributing. The leadership roles are all more immersive than what the roles would be seen as by others. 

Along with these different leadership roles, the application process may seem different then before because this year, Webb switched to the common application system. The common application was a system that combined all leaderships applications into one form. Before applying to a certain position, students must answer a few common questions. These questions would collect each student’s objective and beliefs for leadership roles. 

When applying for these positions, common applications help detect a student’s passion and be able to identify if a student applies for the roles due to college applications. For instance, the most popular leadership role is the HC, and they have a strict requirement. One important fact is that the honor council holds one of the most important responsibilities on the campus. Due to its importance, it become one of the most competitive leaderships positions. Its popularity also draws more people to apply for college applications because of its importance. For students to execute the job, they must possess passion and accountability. If a student is not ready for the weight of the job, it is simply better not to apply. College should never be a primary focus to apply for any leadership role. 

“Leadership roles can look good on college applications,” said Jayden Aleman (‘26), an honor council member. “That’s not my focus. My goal for becoming a HC [was] I was genuinely passionate about everything that the HC stood for and everything that we work towards. 

Student leaders like Jayden should be acknowledged for their genuine passion for leadership programs like the HC because she cares. Her willingness to empathize with students and her passion for what the Honor Council stands for shapes her to be a brilliant leader. Jayden believes that the HC is responsible for helping students who are struggling during the disciplinary process. The HC should be a position that other students depend on, and the members are ready to support students when needed. 

Attending a school that emphasizes a strong academic program, many students desire to achieve good profiles for a strong college application. However, when applying to leadership roles like prefect, many people do not understand the amount of responsibility and dedication these roles require. 

“Most people think that we are dorm parents, we manage the dorm, and [we] have fun, but then there is a lot that we do,” said Anna Park (‘26), dorm prefect. “For all the leadership programs, I feel we do a lot more than what’s on the surface.” 

When students apply for the leadership role for passion, they can have a lot more impact on the community.  

“I would hope that students should really care about serving the community and it’s coming from that sort of place,” said Yesela Tadeo, Dean of Residential Life. 

Looking back at Webb’s leadership opportunities, each position offers abundant.  Although having experience being a leader can be beneficial, having too many leadership positions available diminishes the true meaning of being a leader and creates an environment that allows people to slack off. 

“I believe there are over 100 leaders and that makes me think ‘do we need this many people?’” Lucci said. “I just think widely, we need less leaders overall. 

 “I think that when you have so many leaders, it creates room for people who work hard to pick up the slack for the people [who]don’t,” Lucci said. 

In this kind of environment, when leadership positions are offered more than what’s needed, you would also foster people who are not that passionate about the role. Eliminating extra spots on the leader slate will create a balance because less spots means more thoughtful applicants will receive these roles. The significance of having fewer leadership chances creates an environment where the true leaders will serve the community instead of leaders who slack off. True leaders will benefit the community by serving roles like helping the dorm, teaching the freshmen, or even helping with the disciplinary process. 

In conclusion, leadership roles should be offered to students who care. The leadership culture at Webb has an imbalance between different kinds of leaders because providing a profusion of opportunities also nurtures leaders who want the leadership for its title without acknowledging the responsibility that accompanies the role.