FTG 0036 – Student Leadership Lessons with Alumni Society Leader Alayna Auerbach '15 & Student Leader Mahika Sampat '23

Overview:

This is a special episode focused on the College’s mission tenet of civic engagement and leadership with a specific angle on student leadership. Management consultant and Scholar Alumni Society leader Alayna Auerbach and student leader and fourth year Scholar Mahika Sampat join the show to talk all things student leadership, engagement, and clubs & organizations. Alayna and Mahika share their insights from serving in leadership roles for various groups including the Scholar Alumni Society, THON, Schreyer for Women, and South Asian Student Association. This episode transcends majors and career paths to be a resource for any Scholar, and particularly those serving in any sort of leadership role in a student club or organization, internship, or similar opportunities and how these experiences can influence post-undergraduate opportunities. 

Guest Bios:

Alayna Auerbach ’15 Bus is a management consultant based in Brooklyn, NY.  She graduated summa cum laude from Penn State's Smeal College of Business earning a BS in Finance with Honors and minors in Economics and Spanish. Alayna works in mergers & acquisitions management consulting since graduating in 2015. She partners with companies across industries to deliver enterprise-wide value in deal transactions, including being a trusted advisor and project leader for executives. Alayna is a mental health advocate and a New York Certified Peer Specialist (Provisional). She volunteers as a mental health helpline responder to connect NYC residents to mental health resources. Alayna is also an executive board member of the Scholar Alumni Society (SAS) where she is the inaugural chair of the Student Engagement Committee. Through SAS, she connects scholars and alumni. Any scholars listening to the podcast should reach out to her to see how their student organizations can increase connection with alumni.

Mahika Sampat ’23 HHD is a fourth-year Scholar majoring in Biobehavioral Health with minors in Biology and Health Policy and Administration on the pre-medical track in the College of Health of Health and Human Development. She has received the WISER Research Grant, HHD Dummer Research Grant, and Student Leader Scholarship. She is President of South Asian Student Association and Career Development Director for Schreyer for Women for the 2022-2023 academic year. She is passionate about leadership, service, and making an impact at Penn State. Please feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn.

Episode Specifics:

In this episode, Alayna and Mahika share their perspectives on:

· Overcoming preconceived notions of Penn State and enjoying the experience from Day 1

· Finding student organizations to join like Schreyer Consulting Group, THON, Schreyer for Women, and South Asian Student Association

· Identifying what kinds of opportunities are best for you and your personal and professional interests and passions

· Explaining your involvement in clubs and activities to your family

· Relational, technical, and other skills you can look to develop as a student leader that will serve you well in any career

· Resources and techniques for learning leadership on the fly for new club officers and leaders

· Handling setbacks like not being chosen for an officer role or other opportunities

· Putting yourself out there and overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome to step up as a club leader

· Balancing leadership and friendship in a student organization and handling ethical conflicts

· Balancing academics and student leadership by asking for help, overcoming perfectionism, and time management

· Tools and tips for achieving that organization and time management

· Leveraging advisors, alumni, and older students as mentors