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When 8-year-old Christodiah Amoah came to the U.S from Ghana 11 years ago, it was the beginning of many new experiences that would help inspire her to adjust to change—and become a leader.

“It was cold, and there was snow everywhere,” she said. “That was my first time seeing snow and honestly, I was amazed and scared at the same time. I was like it’s so cold but this is so beautiful.” 

She built her first snowman with guidance from her father.

Today, she’s adjusted to the temperatures—stills enjoys the snow—and has her sight set on a nursing degree. She’s also a fierce debater, having won the ̨Íåswag Oconee Communication Station debate December 2021.

The Athens resident is philosophical about using her debate skills in her healthcare future.

People are different and have different strengths different weaknesses, like points of view. You have to learn how to combine those and use them to whatever point you're trying to achieve, Amoah said.

“But you can't be someone that just sits on the side and not help others,” she explained. “You have to be able to help other people be selfless, be innovative, a quick thinker, and be non-judgmental.”

Applied to nursing, it translates to being a quick thinker, following doctor's orders, being able to advocate for the patient, and uphold patient’s rights.

Quick-thinking is an underrated leadership quality. Decisions may need to be made quickly and people often believe there’s time to really think things through and weigh different perspectives. You have to be able to see different perspectives, but also be able to decide quickly if it’s needed, Amoah said.

As student government president at Shoal Creek High School, said she used the entire body of government, referring to it as a team, reverting back to her snowman-creating team days.

“I like to like use the entire team,” she said. “Teamwork is important. I like to get input and then apply it. I wouldn't say relying on others, but rather everybody putting their hands in.”

Patience is another key quality for strong leadership, Amoah said.

“Learn to be patient, learn how to talk through things you know, and acquire knowledge first before just rushing through everything,” she said. “If you don't have patience then a lot of things are going to frustrate you, many may make you mad. You could miss a lot of things. But if you wait, you would have gotten them. You have to be a patient leader.”