Rooted in Leadership: Mesha Strickland

From a young age, I had to figure out how to help, lead, and serve my peers.

Mesha Strickland is a Human Biology major with minors in Psychology and Health, Medicine, and Human Values in the Caldwell Class of 2027. Despite being the youngest, Mesha has felt looked up to and thrust into leadership roles since she was a child. This level of responsibility inspired her to pursue leadership development, which has been an ongoing process for her ever since. “From a young age, I had to figure out how to help, lead, and serve my peers.”

Background & Early Roots

Mesha credits her early involvement in the church as her origins in serving others. Seeing and taking part in the congregation’s outreach efforts encouraged her to make servant leadership a way of life. On top of the influence of her church, Mesha’s maternal figures have been excellent role models for her throughout her life. Her mother and grandmother, “two people with the biggest hearts,” she says, show her how to pour into others. Giving someone all of your time, patience, and love is a beautiful thing, and Mesha has been blessed with two women in her life who know how to do just that.

My mom tells everyone that I’ve said I wanted to be a ‘baby doctor’ since I was 18 months old

Mesha has had dreams of serving through medicine for as long as she can remember. “My mom tells everyone that I’ve said I wanted to be a ‘baby doctor’ since I was 18 months old,” says the Caldwell. Now, further along her path, she knows how to refer to the field more aptly as “pediatrics,” but the sentiment remains the same. With medicine being the means of serving others, Mesha aspires to not only keep people healthy but also guide them through trying times.

Caldwell Fellows Experience

Many seek community and personal development opportunities their first year of college, and Mesha found hers with the Caldwell Fellows. In an effort to maximize her potential and be the best she could be, she applied and got accepted into the program that she says is helping her do just that. “When I looked at… what the Caldwell Fellows stand for, I thought, ‘This aligns with what I want for myself; not just my college experience, but my life,’” Mesha reflects, “I thought that [the program] would give me a chance to become a better person and serve others, and it has definitely done both of those things.” 

Her favorite aspects of the program thus far have been the dinner seminars and her sophomore service-learning team. Through dinners, Mesha finds countless opportunities to have meaningful and thought-provoking discussions, something she points out is growing scarce. Skilled communication and empathy especially resonate with her at this stage in her life, and she finds herself connecting with others through eye-opening conversations at the Caldwells’ monthly gatherings. Service-learning, on top of promoting personal development, allowed Mesha to tie her servant leadership back to her professional interests by working at the Open Door Clinic. This opportunity introduced her to new people, and she loved her time with peers, staff, and patients.

While being a leader may feel lonely, engaging in servant leadership has companionship and connectedness at its core.

A crucial turning point in Mesha’s mind occurred during a Caldwell retreat last year. It was here, she claims, that she realized she didn’t have to take on everything alone. Oftentimes, leadership can be thought of as a heavy burden placed on one individual, but in reality, it is not a lonesome task. Mesha grew from the idea that she had to delegate and dictate others’ every move to understanding that leadership means much more. “I thought I had to do everything myself… but at the retreat, I realized that there are people in this world who will be there to support you, uplift you, and help you. While being a leader may feel lonely, engaging in servant leadership has companionship and connectedness at its core.”

Current Leadership & Role Models

Mesha serves both the Raleigh community and her immediate community each and every day. Twice a week, she continues working with Open Door Clinic, living proof that service is done best when it is sustained. Despite her busy schedule, she still makes time every Monday and Wednesday to visit the clinic and aid patients. Mesha also made a point to emphasize servant leadership as a way of life, not just something that is done through volunteering or initiatives. She points out actions like making intentional time for self-reflection and being an active listener for her friends as servant leadership practices that may go unmentioned but are nonetheless important. “Even something as simple as helping my study group understand a concept for a class is still a way I serve my peers. I also try… to assess how things have been going and what I would have done differently if given the opportunity.”

Despite being such an incredible leader, through her self-reflection, Mesha recognizes where she can improve. With so much to do and so little time in the day, she finds herself overbooked and struggling with her packed schedule. Also, as a self-proclaimed people pleaser and an individual on the spectrum, Mesha says she grapples with addressing change and conflict. Our Caldwell Fellow understands that these aren’t things that will be letting up anytime soon, so she is actively working on her time management and reactions to things not going as planned.

Mesha continues to look up to her kind-hearted mother, but these days she also finds inspiration in public figures like Barack Obama and Kamala Harris. She especially appreciates how they communicate and carry themselves in media appearances, both possessing an undeniable charisma. Mesha hopes to mirror them in their undying optimism and diplomacy, no matter how grim the situation.

Looking Forward

Recently, Mesha used her Experiential Learning grant to get EMT certified, an essential step forward in pursuing her career goals. After graduation, Mesha intends to serve as an EMT and continue her volunteer efforts. This means taking on more responsibility and having more people looking to her for answers, but Mesha braves the challenge with a utilitarian mindset. “Servant leadership will enable me to handle medical situations in a manner that yields the best outcome for all parties involved.”

Mesha is a model Caldwell Fellow. She is tirelessly committed to helping others in her profession and daily interactions. Her willingness to self-reflect and take steps towards improvement is evidence of her incredible servant leadership skills. Mesha has a strong foundation of roots to build from, and she is continuing to grow into the best person, leader, and “baby doctor” she can be. She has limitless potential, and there is so much more in store for her.