Rockefeller Leadership Fellow: Brendan Barth ’17

This series introduces the 2016-2017 Rockefeller Leadership Fellows. Each fellow reflects on why he or she wanted to be a part of the program and what aspects of leadership most interests them.

RLF is an excellent opportunity for continuing to develop my understanding of leadership, which has been an essential part of my time at Dartmouth. I want to better understand my own strengths and weaknesses as a leader and be exposed to my fellow peers’ various approaches to leadership.

Although leadership is often interpreted as a position of power, I am fascinated by the service aspect of leadership. Leadership comes with great responsibility and the leader’s ability to place primary importance on the needs of the group is critical. If the leader is able to look beyond his/her own needs, the rest of the team will develop this same mentality, and the group will become a more positive, cohesive unit progressing towards a common goal.

I learned a valuable lesson about teamwork and leadership through my experience as a leader of my soccer team’s spring challenge for Dartmouth Peak Performance. I was in charge of navigation during our hike up and down Holtz Ledge and Smarts Mountain. At one point, we missed a turn and lost the trail. As we wandered, the tension in the group rose, and I felt responsible for the situation. After some frustration, we eventually found our way back on course. While we were lost, I felt the group’s trust in me slipping away. I vividly remember thinking that I wished they would still trust me to get us back on track. However, I realized that in order for that to happen, I had to give them a reason to trust me. The experience taught me that clear communication and consulting with your team sparks trust.  

I hope that my participation in RLF will have a significant impact on my future career as I hope to be a practicing physician, which requires great leadership and teamwork. I am excited about RLF and I hope to bring experience and positive energy to the program.

Brendan Barth ’17 grew up in Hanover, NH and graduated from Hanover High School. At Hanover, Brendan was the captain of the varsity soccer and tennis teams, played saxophone in the jazz band, and served as the assistant moderator of the student council his senior year. At Dartmouth, Brendan is a pre-medical student and is pursuing a major in Classical Studies. He is a member of the Dartmouth Men’s Soccer team and plays in the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble. Brendan serves as a pre-health mentor and has been on the leadership team of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a mentor for DREAM. While at Dartmouth, Brendan has also been a teaching assistant for a genetics course, done research at DHMC with a pediatrician, traveled to Greece on the FSP, and volunteered at a health clinic in New Zealand. After graduation, Brendan will be attending the Geisel School of Medicine.

Edited by Rachel Favors '18, Rockefeller Center Student Program Assistant for Communications