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Diana Vlad
Candidate for masters degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership
ABOUT
ABOUT
Hi, I am Diana.
Thank you for being here :).
I have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies in 2019. I am currently enrolled in the master’s program for Strategic Communication and Leadership at the University of West Florida. This program is offering me great opportunities not only on how to communicate with others, but it also allows me to learn more about the role of an instructor and effective methods of teaching and communication.
I was offered a scholarship for my undergraduate degree and offered the chance to be part of the women's tennis team, which was an amazing opportunity for me. Currently, I am in the process of earning a graduate degree while working as an assistant coach for the same team.
Hi, I am Diana.
Thank you for being here :).
I have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies in 2019. I am currently enrolled in the master’s program for Strategic Communication and Leadership at the University of West Florida. This program is offering me great opportunities not only on how to communicate with others, but it also allows me to learn more about the role of an instructor and effective methods of teaching and communication.
I was offered a scholarship for my undergraduate degree and offered the chance to be part of the women's tennis team, which was an amazing opportunity for me. Currently, I am in the process of earning a graduate degree while working as an assistant coach for the same team.
MY WHY STATEMENT
"I am striving to keep evolving and to make the most of the opportunities that come my way, so that I can build a stable future for my family and to help those around me".
SKILLS & EXPERTISE
My teaching experience began when I was about 17 years old in Germany, where I was teaching tennis to various age groups of children and young adults. I was a tennis player myself and it was very intriguing for me to see the game from a different perspective. My goal was to help each player improve and develop the ability to apply lessons learned on the court to life outside of the court. My previous coaches have certainly influenced my coaching methods.
After finishing high-school I have decided to accept a scholarship offer and come to study and play tennis in the United States.
During my undergrad years, I was able to still coach though not as much as before. After graduation, I moved for a while to South Africa, where I had the opportunity to work at a very professional tennis academy and I was able to coach with various age groups and tennis levels, which helped me gain more experience and more variety to my coaching approaches. I was also able to learn a lot from experienced coaches, who have worked a lot with professional tennis players.
For me, tennis has always been more than just a sport. Personally, I believe that many lessons that are learned on the court can be applied in life.
As a graduate student, I have been offered the chance to coach the women's tennis team, which is very challenging but also very rewarding at the same time. It requires a lot of work, on and off the court. The most satisfying feeling is that I get to apply what I learn in my program when I coach, and it helps me develop a wider range of skill sets. I also get to make a difference in the player's experience and their development which makes me aspire to always give my best and to never stop improving myself.
Furthermore, through tennis I have always traveled a lot which helped me learn and understand and speak 4 different languages fluently: Romanian, English, German, Spanish and additionally I speak a little bit of Hungarian.
WORK EXPERIENCE
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2015 - 2018
International Tennis Tournament Organizer
Assisted in organizing and planning yearly international /professional tennis tournaments in which top players of the world would participate. Developed organization and various language skills.
Bochum, Germany
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2019 - 2020
Tennis and Fitness Instructor at STA
Designed my own fitness development program for tennis players of various ages and levels. Offered tennis lessons and served as a hitting partner for top level players.
Johannesburg, South Africa
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2021 - Present
Graduate Assistant Coach of Women's Tennis Team
Competing in the NCAA Division 2 and working with high level players from all over the world. Responsibilities include for development of coaching schedules (tennis and conditioning), preparing athletes, and further developing them for high level competition.
Pensacola, FL, United States.
EDUCATION
2015 - 2019
University of West Florida
Bachelor's Degree in International Studies
Pensacola, Fl.
Anticipated 2023
University of West Florida
Graduate Degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership
Pensacola, Fl.
RESUME
Please see the PDF attached below.
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TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
Students are often heavily influenced by instructors (their values and beliefs) and therefore, I consider it necessary to clearly state my values, my beliefs in honesty and hard work, dedication and professionality.
It is important to me to let students know that I will always make time to help with anything that I can, as I am aware that each student is exposed to different backgrounds and has different ways of learning.
I make it a priority to ensure that students are able to feel comfortable and in a non-judging environment. If students feel uncomfortable and judged they are less likely to open up and share their thoughts, which will impair their learning abilities. Most importantly, I make it a priority for students to learn that failure is part of the process and it is necessary to get better.
I highly value mutual respect, and I make it a priority that students learn to respect each other even when they do not agree with each other's views.
A good teacher will influence students on a deeper level and will find ways to motivate them to reach their full potential and that goes beyond the simple wish to have good grades. I want to bring people to a point where they want to learn for themselves because it makes them feel good and accomplished.
There are some things that I will not tolerate such as bullying, ridiculing others, cheating, and disrespecting others with or without reason. I make it a priority to treat students equally and not to speak down on them.
To view my full teaching philosophy please see the PDF attached below.
A LESSON PLAN SAMPLE
I developed this lesson plan along with my group members for a graduate-level Communication Training class. The lesson was based on how could teachers add value to their teaching methods.
The presentation was focused on actively involving the students in the teaching process.
Please see the PDF attached below for the lesson plan.
MY APPROACH TO STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
I highly value qualities such as: hard work and honesty and I think they are crucial when it comes to developing skills that will make a team successful.
In this document you can learn more about my tactics when it comes to working with companies. Of course, each project is different but this sort of approach is adaptable to various scenarios. You will also notice how strongly I feel about developing efficient communication skills within a team, to help increase productivity and success.
To view my approach to strategic communication please see the PDF attached below.
MY PERSONAL STRATEGIC PLAN
In the following file you will find my own strategic plan, my personal why statement, and my 5 core values. The timeline is spread from the present to the next 10 years. You can observe that I have created a clear plan with strong goals and smart objectives that will help me determine whether I am on track or not.
My plan is also broken down into 3 major areas of focus: personal life, career, and travel and adventure. This plan will show you that I have the necessary skills to develop strategic plans for companies.
To view my personal strategic plan please see the PDF attached below.
MY LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY &COMMITMENT
My Definition of Leadership
I believe that a true leader is a great contributor to helping individuals reach their full potential. I aim to focus my energy and knowledge on the goal ahead. My main purpose is to offer guidance and attention to my peers as I want them to form their values. I believe that being a leader means I have to constantly challenge myself to evolve and learn. As I strive to help others, I aim to be open and learn from my team.
Expectations on Self
I prioritize making time for my team and I promise to be a reliable leader. I make sure to treat everyone alike and give each individual of the team equal attention. My peers can expect me to have a clear understanding of my expectations. As a leader I wish for my team members to develop their values, to succeed in the program, and I want them to feel confident in their abilities. I do not take my leadership position lightly, as I am aware of the responsibility that comes with it.
Expectations of Others
In return I expect my peers to show discipline. I think that having a strong mindset is very important, regardless of the setting/ situation. Motivation may come and go, but building discipline is necessary to stay focused on the goal. I truly value and expect honesty from my team. Especially, in a setting where individuals must work together, honesty is a must to help establish trust. Lastly, I expect each member to show a positive mindset, even in challenging times. Being able to do so will help not only the individual but also its team members. People always want to surround themselves with positive personalities, therefore that is a very strong quality to have.
Nonnegotiables
When it comes to my nonnegotiables, I will not accept disrespect of any kind from the team members, regardless of the reasoning behind it. If there are any arguments, they need to be addressed politely and respectfully. I insist upon building a culture where different points of view are taken into consideration, and we learn to keep an open mind. At the end of the day, we have something to learn from everyone around us. I will not accept bullying or hazing. Such actions will not be tolerated, and I will make sure to let everyone on the team know that. The reason why I view these aspects as my nonnegotiables is because I want people to feel safe and accepted when I work with them. I believe that to be able to keep evolving we need to be comfortable enough to be ourselves, especially when working with different people.
Conclusion
In closing, I wish to be the kind of leader that helps individuals achieve their full potential. I aim to promote learning from each other because I believe that we have a lot of lessons to learn from those around us. Furthermore, I hope to be an inspirational leader that helps individuals find their best version of themselves.
AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER:PAT SUMMITT
An Excerpt from All That & Then Summitt by Diana Vlad
Patricia Summitt was the head coach of the women’s basketball team at the University of Tennessee. She was born in 1952 in Clarksville, Tennessee. She passed away in 2016 after battling Alzheimer’s disease for five years.
In her career, Summitt achieved the record for most career wins among basketball coaches in the United States, which is over 1000. She also led her team to the NCAA Championship title eight times. To have such results requires a certain understanding of the game, however, it also requires strong leadership skills. She built and developed teams by emphasizing respect, responsibility, hard work, commitment, communication, and love.
Recognizing the emphasis on these characteristics allowed me to identify Pat Summitt with the transformational leadership style. Developing any of the qualities mentioned above would help any team grow. She was a great communicator and a fearless leader that was not afraid of admitting that she was wrong or speaking her mind in an open but constructive manner.
In her books and interviews, she consistently showed awareness of how important effective communication is in coaching. This ultimately showed in the way she taught her players not to hold back on sharing their thoughts without being disrespectful or hurtful. A leader like Summitt consistently focuses on developing individuals on multiple levels, which enables them to be goal-oriented leaders.
Looking at how coach Summitt believed in her system teaches us that learning about essential qualities like respect and hard work in any kind of setting (sport, work, school, etc.) pays off long-term preparing young adults for the next phase in their life.
CONTACT
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