Kaden Ballard

I am resilient because I always try my best to overcome obstacles, even when they are not easy. I am confident because I have good self esteem and believe in myself to have the ability to complete important tasks. I am empathetic because I try my best to put myself in others shoes to help them overcome their life challenges as well. By listening, I am able to understand how people feel, and my confidence helps me approach them and listen to what they’re saying without feeling like I have to always be the one talking. If a leader is someone who people follow, I get people to follow me by understanding them and appealing to their interests.

I am all these things in large part because of my brother’s influence on me. My brother Kory was the happiest person I ever knew. He had Down Syndrome, a stroke, and epilepsy. Although he couldn’t walk or talk and he had daily seizures, he still managed to keep smiling. I often hoped he would get better and be “normal,” but I realized that he was just fine the way he was, and he didn’t need to get better to be happy. My brother passed away during the Christmas break in 2019, but his spirit lives on. Even though business is a very popular major, I believe I will be exceptional at it because I bring a unique approach. I want to merge my brother’s influence on me and the leadership skills I develop in college to become an executive in an important company or someone who makes important decisions, like a CEO.