09/09/2025
๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ?
In a time when student leadership is treated as a stage, we must ask: who really deserves to lead?
Are you really a leader? A potential one? These questions matter deeply, especially in the student community where leadership has become not only a privilege and a responsibilityโbut at times, also a stage. Increasingly, we see students aiming for leadership positions not because they truly want to serve, but because they crave recognition. For some, the title of โstudent leaderโ is a badge of popularity, a chance to be visible, or even a stepping stone to clout. But leadership rooted in vanity rather than service is fragile. It looks strong in the spotlight but crumbles when tested by real challenges.
The problem is that leadership has often been misrepresented as a matter of credentials and appearances. Many students who genuinely desire to serve are ignored because they do not fit societyโs narrow standards of what a leader should look like. If you are not a consistent Deanโs Lister, if your grades are not excellent, if you are not popular, beautiful, or handsomeโchances are, some students will discriminate against you or dismiss your capability. But leadership is not about academic perfection or social status. Some of the most effective leaders are not those who stand out in terms of achievements or appearances, but those who lead with passion, humility, and the courage to put the needs of others before their own.
This makes it important to challenge the bias that only โtopโ students can lead. Academic excellence is admirable, but it is not the sole qualification for leadership. A leader must be approachable, empathetic, and willing to listen. A high grade point average does not automatically guarantee wisdom, nor does popularity ensure compassion. What matters most is not how many medals you wear, but how much of yourself you are willing to give for the good of others. Student leadership, after all, is about service, not status.
Yet another reality must be confronted: those students who are already in leadership roles fail to embody professionalism. Instead of serving with integrity, they lead with arrogance. Instead of practicing fairness, they play favorites. Instead of building unity, they create division. This kind of leadership is not only unprofessionalโit is destructive. It discourages other students who are genuinely willing to serve and sets a poor example for the community. A leader who misuses their position is worse than someone who never held one at all, because they betray both the trust of their peers and the true essence of leadership.
Leadership is not about clout. It is not about how many people know your name, how many followers you have, or how many times your picture appears on posters. These things fade. What lasts is the impact you make on others, the respect you earn through service, and the integrity you uphold even when no one is watching. Real leaders are those who step up even without recognition. They are those who continue to work even without applause and prioritize the needs of their community over their own comfort.
As students, we must remember that leadership is not a privilege to flaunt, but a duty to fulfill. It is not about titles but about trust. It is not about being admired but about being accountable. In every classroom, every organization, and every student council, the same question must be asked: Are you leading for the people, or simply for the clout? The answer to that question will define not just who you are as a student, but the kind of leader you will become beyond the four walls of the university.
Opinion by Jenny Rose Pepito | TMF
Artwork by Lawrence Almaden | TMF
