Shye Robinson, a double major in political science and brain and behavioral sciences with a minor in Spanish, is grateful for the opportunities that she has found as a student at Purdue University.
Outside of class, Shye finds comfort in the many memberships and leadership positions she holds around campus. She is most recognizable as the Purdue Student Government (PSG) President, but she also serves in the Political Discourse Club and is a member of the Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement (CCSE), where she took part in the Boilers Go to D.C. (BGDC) to learn about Washington D.C. and the ever-changing political course of the US. When not focusing on her studies, Shye likes to roller skate, watch TV and work on a podcast she started last December.
When Shye started at Purdue, she was excited to find herself in a new place where she could grow. When asked how she works on building her sense of impact, Shye acknowledges that the most important thing is to recognize that it is all about finding the right people on campus to help you make a bigger impression. She says that Purdue Student Government (PSG) has given her the ability to grow as a leader and created a butterfly effect to help her make an even bigger impact.
Shye says that shared interests are a great way to bring people together.
"Just put yourself out there and meet others at that level," Shye says.
When sharing her story of how she got involved with PSG, she said that a leader reached out to her who was affiliated with PSG and said they thought she would be good for the role.
Shye has always been open to new experiences and credits Purdue for giving her a sense of self. She says that she has learned that it is important to have an open mind. Shye has used this to change her perspective on how she approaches her interests. Instead of thinking, "I want to do this", Shye now intentionally thinks, "Have you thought about doing this?"
When asked if she had any advice for other students wanting to create an impact, Shye said that it is important to recognize that you are only one person and to think that you can accomplish everything by yourself is unrealistic. She advises you to "lean in” on people who share your passion – they will recognize your net benefit and truly uplift you. In turn, you will come to recognize the net benefit in others and uplift them. It is vital to embody pro-social behaviors and always be open to other people contributing to what you are fighting for.
Shye feels she has always had leadership skills and qualities like being outspoken, confident and connecting well with others. Her experiences at Purdue gave Shye the ability to grow into her leadership abilities and further develop her leadership skills. Shye was the ability to grow into her leadership abilities and further develop her leadership skills.
When asked how she takes care of her well-being, Shye says that when you are a student leader and are very involved on campus, the responsibilities can add up quickly! It is vital to make sure you are always physically doing something like being active to improve your mood and help you stay focused.
Also contributing to Shye's well-being is having an adult in her corner. She says that it is important to find someone who can extend you a listening ear whenever you are having issues or need some perspective. Shye says she talks to her mentor about what she is going through and they bring her back to reality.
In building her networks, Shye stresses how important it is to be present on campus. She says that a lot of where she is today – the experiences, the discourse club and even taking a leadership role on campus – has connected her with her peers and other student leaders. Continuing to maintain those relationships and making sure there is always an open dialogue is beneficial.
"Your name is your brand,” Shye says.
If you want to add Shye to your network, connect with Shye on LinkedIn.