Husky Robotics

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

I vividly remember the excitement and anxiety as I sat against the hallways of the Mechanical-Engineering-Building. It was a warm morning in early April, with spring in the air, but my focus was entirely on the door to MEB-238. Inside, my opponent was making his case for Operational Director.

To me, leadership is a responsibility to others. I had joined Husky Robotics—UW’s 15-year-old, 170-person NASA-style rover team—in Autumn-2024. Despite studying Mechanical Engineering, I joined the electrical subteam to master integrating both disciplines. But I quickly learned that true integration wasn't just about hardware; it was about people.

Long before the election, I found myself working tirelessly to communicate across diverse teams and drive genuine change. I realized then that leadership does not begin with a title.

When the door finally opened with a "You're up," I walked in to face hundreds of members, alumni, and leaders. I delivered my core belief:

‍"It's the belief that if there's someone feeling unheard, lost in the shuffle, or uncertain if they belong, that matters to me. Leadership means making your challenges my own, your ambitions my priority, and your successes our collective victory."‍‍

‍When the votes were tallied, the room erupted. I still feel that moment intensely—the ear-cracking applause and the weight of the trust placed in me.

In the eight months since, I have raised $106,000, doubled our recruitment demand through a complete rebranding, and guided the team through difficult higher-ed budget-cuts. I followed through, because that is the purpose of a leader: to bring a diverse team together, to put others before yourself, and to build a legacy that empowers generations of Huskies to come.