Community and Service Inspire Sabrina Jain
Author(s)
Jon Stone
Media Relations Manager
DU senior has served as a leader on campus since arriving as a freshman
In the interests of preparing students to be impactful leaders in their workplaces and communities, the University of Denver has made it a goal to transform the student experience by providing high-impact experiential learning and focused small classes within a diverse community. It was this commitment that attracted Sabrina Jain to DU four years ago.
Ever since arriving on campus, Jain has made it a priority to expand and grow as a leader. The Pioneer Leadership Program (PLP) enticed her even before she arrived on campus.
“What drew me to it was the idea that they believe leadership can be learned, because I believe that too,” Jain says. “I think that all of us have natural skills, strengths and weaknesses. I thought it was so neat that PLP focused on emphasizing your strengths, but also worked with you on your weaknesses.”
Jain appreciated the holistic approach the program takes to developing a leader, but that was not enough for her. As a freshman, she created the South Asian Student Association. Jain’s parents are from India, and she grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Aurora, Colo. For her, it was important to create a space where students from south Asia can come together, discuss their backgrounds and spread awareness around what their culture really believes in.
During her four years at the University, Jain has served on undergraduate student government, has been co-president of the DU Programming Board, has served as student trustee of the DU student foundation and has worked for the Excelling Leaders Institute (ELI), which seeks to create an open and inclusive campus environment as students transition to college life.
All this work has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year she was nominated by DU for the Colorado Leadership Alliance’s 2018 Student Leader of the Year award. The award is given annually by the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and the Boettcher Foundation. After considering nominees from colleges across Colorado, the alliance awarded Jain this honor.
“I have a great respect for this award and its past recipients,” she says. “They have set the caliber of leadership so high, and I am grateful to be counted amongst them.”
When Jain graduates in June, she will leave with degrees in finance from the Daniels College of Business and psychology from Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
“I think finance plays a big role in why people act the way that they do and how we allow it to lead our lives,” Jain says about the combination of her degrees. “How we make financial decisions and how those finances affect us emotionally — I really like to understand the psychology behind those decisions and the numerical values.”
Jain plans to relocate to Los Angeles to start a career in management consulting with Deloitte, the world’s largest consulting firm. While she is excited to work with companies on problem solving and organizational change, Jain is also looking forward to volunteering in the community, as she has done at DU.
“It is up to you to lead your life with the values that you want, and service and community are really important to me,” she says. “Those are things that I am now going to have to find time to do on my own.”