Meet Courtney Baker, the LeaderBear who we like to refer to as the “Queen” of walking backwards. So what exactly does this mean? We’ll she is the current president of the University Ambassadors organization. That’s right, the tour guides who walk around campus backwards giving tours to incoming and prospective students.  Courtney found her passion with this organization nearly 4 years ago when she joined as a freshman! This is her third term on the executive board as well having served as the Social Chair and Vice President of Regular Tours as well.  If you have ever met Courtney she also shows excitement and a great personality that she passes along to her tours and her fellow University Ambassadors.

Being a UA isn’t all Courtney likes to spend her time doing though.  She graduated the Commerce Bank Emerging Leaders program  in 2013. She is also a very active member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority where she has served as the Banners Chair, Social Chair, Recognitions Chair, and Assistant Greek Week/ Homecoming Chair. She is always looking for ways to show off her school spirit and give back to the school. Her intentions are to graduate in 2015 with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies.

To help her out, Courtney relies on her top strengths of Achiever, Communication, Developer, Positivity, and WOO.

When asked what about our programs impacted her the most she replied,

“I was tremendously impacted through my participation in the Emerging Leaders Program. Learning my strengths as a leader allowed me to focus on those aspects and utilize them to the best of my ability. Rather than trying to change myself to be a different kind of leader, I have been able to take great strides as a person, by emphasizing the characteristics that come naturally to me.”

Her advice to younger students:

“My advice to younger students would be to get out of your comfort zone! Some of my favorite interests have come from trying something I never thought I would like or would be good at. College is a time to test your boundaries and truly find out who you are- take advantage of the opportunities presented to you!”