It's the first day of class at HBS. You are in Aldrich Hall meeting your "section." Introduce yourself.

I joined the crew team as a freshman in high school and rowed competitively for eight years. Rowing helped make me strong, determined and hungry for success. I learned that to succeed, you need to either row in perfect sync with the other eight women in your crew or be a leader and set the pace. You must learn how to respond to unexpected rowing conditions and strategize dynamically in order to surpass your competition. When the race ends, you must decide what kind of person you are going to be off the boat. I now apply what I learned on the river in the workplace and community. I plan to bring these skills to Harvard Business School.

Rowing taught me to be a dedicated team member and leader. I was elected captain during my senior year at ABC Ivy League University and rowed in the top boat for all four years. Our program, though successful at times, often struggled in an increasingly competitive league. On top of that, many people quit because of the demanding schedule and strenuous training that came with rowing in a Division I program. As captain, it was my job to keep morale high and not let my own frustration or exhaustion get in the way. Because of my commitment to my teammates, I was able to guide our boat to the grand final at our championship regatta. Shortly after, I humbly accepted the Hope Barnes Award, given to the woman who embodies outstanding commitment, leadership, and achievement. Because of rowing, I am a leader who confronts challenges head-on and motivates others when the chips are down.

Successful rowers must deal with unexpected conditions. Whether it is high winds or unfamiliar courses, rowers must be adaptable. For three summers, I worked as the only female ranch hand at the DEF Ranch in Ennis, Montana. I worked alongside four Montana- made men whose entire lives were dedicated to ranching. I arrived as a big city girl and was inevitably tested on my first day when the ranch manager instructed me to remove old fencing from the south side of the property. The fencing weighed over 100 pounds and it took me all day to figure out how to transport it, but I never gave up. At the end of the day, the ranch manager said he was impressed at what I did by hand and then laughed and said, "I would have just used a backhoe!" From that day on, I was part of the team. I continued to herd cattle, operate heavy machinery, and lay sod alongside these men. With the skills I learned while leading a team of rowers, I am able to navigate unfamiliar territory with the confidence that I can do anything I set my mind to.

To master rowing, you must analyze and perfect every part of the stroke. When I began working at the Internet start up The XYZ, I soon realized that data could help the company scale. By analyzing results from every social platform, I saw what different types of material our users responded to. I then created a comprehensive digital audit to show how we could improve the way we create content. For the first time, we began to understand our users. In the month after the audit, our traffic increased by 49%. Six months later, I was promoted to oversee all of analytics and editorial at The XYZ.

When my rowing career ended in 2012, I wanted to continue challenging myself physically and mentally. I started training for the Chicago Marathon often running twice a day. At ABC Ivy League University, running was never a big part of our training, so getting my body and mind accustomed to the sport was a challenge. After months of preparation, I finished the race in 3:44:40. The marathon gave me the opportunity to apply my rowing skill set to an entirely new sport. While I once thrived on a team, I was also able to excel on my own.

Earlier this year, I was asked to join the ABC Ivy League Rowing Advisory Board and I was thrilled to give back to the program that had given me so much. I was the youngest member by two decades and one of only two women on the board. We were tasked with finding new coaches for both the men’s and women’s teams. When I saw the salaries were far more favorable for the men’s position, I took the initiative to push for equal compensation. Despite having to confront the rest of the board, I knew I had to do what was right. As a result, the salaries were made equal and the women’s team attracted a very successful coach. I am proud that my legacy at ABC Ivy League goes beyond what I did on the water during my four years; my legacy extends to the success of the program for years to come. Rowing taught me how to be a leader, respond to challenges, appreciate the details and speak up for what is right. I am looking forward to bringing these skills to the case study method and contributing both inside and outside the classroom. The best race of my life was on the Charles River when I won a medal at the Head of the Charles regatta. I have always wanted to call the Charles my home course, and now I have the chance.