Undergraduate / "our democracy", Common Application Essay - Responding to a quote [5]

Essay #2
Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of no more than 300 words.
It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts rather than book reviews or book reports. Remember that your essays should be personal in nature and not simply argumentative essays.

"It seems to me incumbent upon this and other schools' graduates to recognize their responsibility to the public interest...unless the graduates of this college...are willing to put back into our society those talents, the broad sympathy, the understanding, the compassion...then obviously the presuppositions upon which our democracy are based are bound to be fallible."

John F. Kennedy, at the ground breaking for the Amherst College Frost Library, October 26, 1963

When I ask people around me what qualities are essential for a leader, they describe a good leader as charismatic, educated, independent, responsible, inspirational, determined and even ambitious. Certainly all these characteristics pertain to a leader, but I have a strong feeling that something vital is missing, making the picture incomplete, something, that makes a true leader stand out from the rest. What makes a good leader truly exceptional to me is their commitment to serving the public.

As John F. Kennedy wisely noted many years ago, school graduates bear the "responsibility to the public interest ". (Here I don't distinguish between a leader and a school graduate since the primary purpose of liberal education is to help us gain the same qualities as those important for a leader). To me this means that regardless of your career choice, in order to qualify as a TRUE leader, you should find a way to contribute to society. One of such ways for college graduates is use of their professional skills.

I'm not a college graduate yet, but I'm not going to wait until I become one to serve my society. Although I do not yet possess professional skills, I do have some knowledge and understanding of issues important for my community. That is why I choose to do community service and volunteering in my free time. I'm often asked why I am doing it, "as if I was made to do it". The only way I can explain why I'm doing it is because I enjoy it, and it not only helps me feel part of my community but also teaches true leadership.