Student Leader Interview featuring Sherika Wynter

I interviewed Sherika Wynter. She is a graduate student studying industrial design here at Uarts. She is the GRC in Spruce and happens to live right down the hall from me. We talked a little bit about her cultural background because in class I learned the significance of culture; I knew learning about Sherika’s culture would help me understand her values, and what is important to her as a leader. She is a first generation Jamaican, so Sherika has “a strong West Indian influence.” She said, “[my cultural foundation] pushed me to do a little more than necessary sometimes. My parents always said to me ‘I want you to be a little better than I was. I want you to be able to a little more than my kids than I was able to do for you.’ That was really a motivation for me.” Sherika also has an eighteen-year old brother. She feels more inclined to set an example and be a role model for him. She describes herself as a “third parent,” because she wants her brother to learn from her mistakes.

Right after college Sherika dove into corporate America; she was a project manager for an acoustical engineering company. When I asked her what it was like being a manager in a corporate setting she said, “it was hard. I had people who worked for me who were forty years my senior. [It was] a white male dominated environment, so not only did I have to deal with egos but I also had to earn my stripes due to my age and what they felt was a lack of experience.” She took a break from working to go back to school but continued to pursue leadership roles. She chose to be a GRC at Uarts because it’s similar to project managing people, while sort of reliving undergrad.

When I asked Sherika if she applied her leadership skills in social settings she said she uses different skills in different settings. She said, “I’m pretty chill. I’m more introverted than I am extroverted…If you’re undecided I’ll throw something out there.” She lets her guard down more in social settings than in the work force because she doesn’t feel the pressure of proving her abilities. She said, “At work being a minority, as a woman, and as an African-American…it’s hard. You always have to prove yourself, and that’s not to come off as being racist in any way shape or form. Traditionally you have to show up and prove [yourself].”

I asked Sherika if she thought it was important for minority children to have minority leaders. She said, “Leaders in general are important, leaders who understand what [the children’s] struggle will be. She said that it’s important for young kids to have mentors. Sherika also said that college in the traditional sense might not be for every student; there are other avenues to be explored such as, art school or trade school.

Sherika said the key to being a good leader is knowing her weaknesses. She said each person knows her strengths but very few truly know the weaknesses. Knowing both sides of the spectrum makes a more solid leader. As a student in the emerging leaders program, I hope to get to know myself better. I look forward to discovering new aspects about myself through discussions, and deep thinking. I thank Sherika for her words of wisdom. Learning about her was a great experience!