Building a Leadership Profile for College Admissions

November 30, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET

Leadership is a factor in every selective college admissions decision. Students who can demonstrate real initiative, involvement, and impact in their community have a stronger application, but most don't know how to build a leadership profile intentionally or present it effectively.

In this session exclusively for NSHSS, former Stanford admissions officer Amber Bisnauth walks you through what leadership means in the context of college admissions, how to develop it throughout high school, and how to make sure it comes through clearly in your application.

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You'll leave knowing:

What admissions officers actually look for when they evaluate leadership

How to find and pursue meaningful opportunities to lead in high school

How to grow your involvement into roles with real impact and responsibility

How to present your leadership across your activities list, essays, and recommendations

Meet the speaker:

Amber Bisnauth

Former Admission Officer at Stanford University

Hi, everyone! My name is Amber, and I previously worked as an Undergraduate Admission Counselor at Stanford University. I have both a student-athlete and admission perspective of Stanford University, and graduated from Stanford with a major in International Relations and a minor in Spanish and Portuguese. While at Stanford, I was a Track & Field athlete. In the admission office, I reviewed applications from different parts of the country and the world, and I look forward to using my experience to encourage you along your own path to college admission soon!