Our #LeaderBear today is an alumni of Missouri State University. Riana Sears graduated in May 2014 with a degree in Public Relations and is now the National Recruiting Coordinator for American National Insurance in Springfield. Her role there requires her to market for and recruit insurance agents for her company. However, like any good LeaderBear, Riana is also using her time to give back to Springfield! She is most excited right now about getting involved with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Ozarks.

While at Missouri State, Riana was on the executive board for Student Activities Council for two years. She also served as the Chief Communications Officer for the Student Government Associations 2012-2013. Riana served our campus and potential students/families as a University Ambassador. From participating in Emerging Leaders to helping facilitate the program as an upperclassman, Riana certainly knows our programs through and through. From disaster relief efforts like Haiti and Japan to the Public Affairs Week Planning Committee, her dedication to this university is unending. Riana says these experiences help transform and challenge students to reach their full potential. For her specifically, the Emerging Leaders program set the stage for her interactions at work and in her personal life. She gained a lot of communication and conflict management skills that she otherwise would be without, in her words. What words of advice does a leader like this have for younger students? Let’s see it:

“Care about something. Nothing compares to feeling that you are important to a cause or an organization. Dedicating yourself to something will translate into all areas of your life and you’ll find yourself caring more about the people and environment around you. Missouri State is unique because the students feel responsible for its future. Take advantage of every leadership opportunity available to you on campus. You will gain invaluable skills that you can carry throughout your life and will build relationships with incredible students and mentors.”