Rockefeller Leadership Fellow: Nicole Castillo ’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.

The aspect of leadership I find most interesting is how to create a motivational and non-hierarchical structure. Leading by example is not always possible, thus in those cases how can you help shape the atmosphere of an environment? My interest in RLF stems from my desire to expand how I define leadership, explore different leadership styles, and experience personal growth.

For the past three years, I have served on the executive board of La Alianza Latina in various capacities. La Alianza Latina is meant to cater to all self-identifying Latinz students. My tenure as club president presented me with the challenge of finding a way to appeal to a large group of people, while also uniting an executive board under one vision.

The position has taught me the difference between being open to new ideas and just being indecisive. Part of my goal for this year in RLF is to learn how to foster naturally motivated environments, where people want to work together to create community. I am excited to further develop my leadership skills while also bringing my ideas, solutions, and critiques to the program.

Nicole Castillo ’17 grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey and graduated from Ridge High School. At Dartmouth, Nicole is a double Government and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies major. She is currently the President of Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Señoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority, Inc., an executive board member of La Alianza Latina, and an intern with the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Nicole also works as a drill instructor for the Spanish Department and a notetaker for Student Accessibility Services. She has held internships with the Newark U.S. District Court as well as a nonprofit organization in Cartagena, Colombia. After graduation, Nicole plans to attend law school.

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