wessam hazaymeh

My family packed up our home and immigrated to the United States when I was six years old. A dramatic change like that set me up to be adaptable. Just as Maxwell stated in his quote, my leadership takes the route of seeing possibilities. My leadership is one that is solution-driven and looks at challenges as moments to grow rather than something uncomfortable and limiting. 

My route at VCU started with me having a vague idea of what I wanted to do with my time in college. In my first year, it was a lot of inward-looking to figure out where I was headed. During the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), I met people who expanded my point of view and introduced me to the possibilities at VCU and beyond. Soon enough, I found myself focusing on a communications path. 

My time in VCU LEAD gave me a roadmap and a new thinking style as I tie in my leadership with my profession. From a study abroad experience cut short by COVID-19 to an internship program with Dow Jones News Fund, the leadership skills and values I picked up through LEAD discussions help me see the challenges as possibilities rather than a limitation to what I can do. 

Outside of academics, I spend my time connecting with people. Whether it be through Ram Camp or community service, I find my leadership to be very people-oriented. My priority in my leadership is to push myself and others to continuously grow by shifting perspectives into one that invites change and seeing it as full of possibilities.