Tanisha Tahrin

Self-possession is the root of kindness.

Growing up, Tanisha Tahrin never saw girls like herself in leadership positions. She noticed a lack of minorities in the spheres she found herself in. When she came to Virginia Tech, she decided she was going to change that. Now, a sophomore Business Information Technologies major in the Pamplin School of Business, she’s done exactly what she set out to do.

Tanisha, a first-generation student, found her confidence by voicing her opinions and putting herself into new, and usually frightening, situations. “I told myself the only way other people were going to respect me was if I respected myself,” said Tanisha. She resolved to put herself into those leadership positions she never saw minority women in before. She became an Orientation Leader, an undergraduate mentor in Pamplin, a Resident Advisor at the Inn at Virginia Tech, and the Vice President of Logistics of Pamplin’s Multicultural Diversity Council. Tanisha learned not only how to believe in herself, but how to teach other people to believe in themselves as well.

Tanisha has found a home at Virginia Tech with people who help her figure out who she is. In addition to her leadership roles, she is a member of the Muslim Student Association, an attendant at Moss Arts Center, a beauty consultant with Mary Kay, and mentor in the Collegiate Women of Business. She has effectively planted herself in the culture of Virginia Tech, and has sown her own seeds to grow into the person she wishes to become.

In exploring and expressing herself, Tanisha is most fond of the medium of fashion. “When I look good I feel confident,” Tanisha said, with the dream of one day owning and operating her own clothing store.

Her self-confidence and self-possession is the cornerstone of her empathy—because she knows herself, she is all the more responsive to the needs of others. Tanisha’s friend and nominator noted Tanisha’s growing confidence in herself as a major factor in Tanisha’s ability to help those around her. Her mentor said that Tanisha has “built herself up from scratch with ambition and determination to be all that she aspires to be.”

But Tanisha disagrees that it was solely a self-made effort. Tanisha credits her parents for her success, saying that they instilled in her the value of ethics and kindness, as well as the confidence to be her own person. Tanisha notes that, of all her accomplishments, she is most proud of making her parents happy, by utilizing the freedom they have given her to explore herself and make a difference in her community.

>When asked what advice she would like to impart onto others, Tanisha said that everyone should be aware that small things can make a big difference. A compliment, or even just a smile, has the power to make a difference in someone’s day.

Tanisha, for your strength, empathy, spirit -- and especially for putting yourself out there in a new and challenging environment, I am pleased to present to you the Aspire! Award for SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRITY.

Written by Madison Sweezy