Learn
Learn
Building Compassionate Leaders for the Future
We're dedicated to equipping our members with the tools and skills to thrive as leaders, both within the vibrant community of PASTA and beyond. PASTA members are always learning at all levels - take a look at some of the cool ways they do so below!
Leadership Training
As an organization, we want to ensure that we are building compassionate leaders for the future. Along with serving in the community, PASTA members have numerous opportunities to gain leadership skills and experience along the way. Whether that’s being a chapter leader, mentoring a new chapter, being a member of the Board of Directors, or leading a major project, opportunities for personal and professional growth are endless.
We held a PASTA-wide leadership summit where 10 speakers and mentors came together to educate over 100 PASTA members on the importance of personal branding. Watch this short clip of the summit:
What I learned from the Leadership Summit will stick with me for a long time. It taught me how to identify my values so that I can incorporate them into my own leadership style. I feel that I can now show people what I truly care about.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of students who have the most active role in taking the PASTA vision forward and making sure our goals are met. Our board members are tasked with handling many responsibilities including assisting chapters with projects, working to network and find new opportunities, and organizing new programs. By handling a multitude of tasks, they learn to better their communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. These skills are built over time as each member starts talking to more individuals in the community, and learns to effectively work with the group of other directors.
Being on the Board of Directors has changed me. I have been able to understand how much effort the BOD puts into PASTA on a daily basis and also develop my own professional skills.
Mentorship Program
Each new chapter is mentored by another PASTA member to coach them through the process of getting started. PASTA mentors go through a mentorship training program alongside other PASTA members where they learn essential leadership and project management skills. Through hands-on experience handling different group dynamics, leading a team of students, and managing project deadlines, our mentors learn indispensable skills for the rest of their academic career, the workplace, and beyond!
Being a mentor is such a rewarding experience! Getting to guide a new chapter through the journey you went through - and seeing their growth - is the coolest thing! Their passion inspires you to be a better leader
Program Leads
Program leads are responsible for all the planning and organization required to execute our PASTA-wide projects, where each chapter has a part in a large-scale project. Alongside completing projects in their own chapter, program leads take on additional responsibility to become the liaison between the Board of Directors and all PASTA chapters to facilitate a program. Leading a program gives our members hands-on experience in planning, organizing, and executing a project from start to finish. They will learn indispensable project management, teamwork, and logistical skills. These leaders will be faced with common challenges, such as marketing and budgeting, and learn how to navigate them at a young age.
What I loved about being a program lead is that it was a way for me to develop my communication and organizational skills, while still making fun and meaningful experiences with children in our community. I’ll never forget this experience because of how I was able to make an impact on my community through a more involved role in PASTA
Chapter Leaders
The core of PASTA is focused on the work done by our chapters made up of middle and highschoolers. Each chapter member is given a specific role to fulfill to make sure everyone contributes in a meaningful way. The chapter leader works to plan and run chapter meetings, communicate with other leaders, and provide guidance to members. The main skills a chapter leader takes away is learning how to efficiently work among their peers. Learning to differentiate between being a friend and a chapter leader can be difficult, but it’s a skill that they improve over time.
Being a chapter leader has not only allowed me to develop my leadership skills, but also taught me to become a more patient and understanding individual.
Members
Members that opt out of holding a formal leadership position in PASTA are still given numerous opportunities to learn. As a member, you have a responsibility to actively participate in planning and executing chapter projects. Through this, our members gain exceptional teamwork and project management skills.
Something very noteworthy that being a PASTA member has taught me is how to help the community in a very involved manner. As every project touched the hearts of those we helped, it also left many joyful memories within me.
