Junior Ahmed Tolba has been selected as the Student Leader of the Month for May 2024. Originally from Conway, Tolba came to the U of A to study biomedical engineering with minors in statistics and French in the Honors College.

He is the director of physical health and wellness through ASG, design team coordinator and president-elect for the Engineering World Health RSO. Tolba also volunteers at Arkansas Children's Hospital as a literacy tutor and as mentor for Refugees Through Paper Airplanes. In addition, he is a student researcher in U of A Department of Biomedical Engineering and UAMS Cardiovascular Physiology Department.

"Each of these organizations have their own unique story for specifically why I got involved, but many of them follow the same general theme of giving back to the community that has done so much for me," Tolba said. "For example, I got involved in Paper Airplanes + Canopy because I was born in Egypt and had supplementary English 'buddy-programs' throughout elementary school in the U.S. that greatly contributed to my own literacy. I believe literacy is at the heart of individual growth and success, and I love getting to see others succeed.

"This is also why I got involved as an SI leader for Principles of Biology, where I also served as a mentor for a team of Biology SIs and got to watch others grow into incredible leaders and educators," he continued. "I got involved in ASG and EWH because I view those organizations as conduits that can be used to increase health equity on campus and in the NWA community. Through ASG, I program events that allow students access to potentially lifesaving skills that are often hidden behind paywalls — such as self-defense classes, CPR classes, various informative tabling events, as well as blood drives with the blood drive committee. In EWH I get to watch and help connect talented and innovative students with the resources they need to succeed for projects aimed at creating solutions for global health inequalities. Moreover, all of these involvements represent not only leadership roles, but also roles where I can teach, learn, fail and grow — this is especially true for research."

Tolba believes one of the most vital qualities in a leader is to empower and give credit to those whom they lead while always accepting personal responsibility for any shortcomings.

"I think that being a leader is being an educator," he said. "I believe learning, teaching and leading are all heavily overlapping characteristics of leaders, as they represent someone who is willing to grow from their own mistakes as well help those around them become the best versions of themselves."

He wants to encourage others to encourage growth in those that you lead. He believes a great leader needs to communicate with clarity and transparency, as well as lead by example, which helps build trust.

He has a handful of people who have had significant influence on him on this campus.

"From very involved professors and research mentors like Dr. Ryan Allen (UAMS), Dr. Chris Nelson, Dr. Leonard Harris and Dr. Mostafa Elsaadany to even other students who've guided me in my academic and leadership journeys — such as seniors Gary Jackson and Emma Smith — there are just so many people to be grateful for. These are all people who have in some form or another served as mentors to me through advice, empowerment and kindness."

He would like to leave everyone with his favorite leadership quote from Albert Schweitzer: "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing."