Junior women's soccer player Leah Finkelman is proving that leadership extends far beyond the field. Leah is making her mark as a student-athlete leader—from founding Jewish Student-Athletes at Penn to representing the Quakers at the NCAA Leadership Forum. She is creating space for student-athletes to connect, grow, and lead.
 
Next stop: the NCAA Leadership Forum in Dallas!
 
Leah Finkelman is a junior women's soccer player who left southern Florida weather for the four seasons of the City of Brotherly Love. A cognitive science major and consumer psychology minor, Leah balances life as a student-athlete like a pro. A few years into her tenure as a Penn student-athlete, Leah is an active member in the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy (PAWLA), works as a tutor, holds the position of SAAC Secretary, and founded the student-athlete affinity group Jewish Student-Athletes at Penn. Later this month, she will represent Penn Athletics at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum.
 
Action-Oriented Leadership
To Leah, leadership is an action that requires attention to building relationships and rapport.

"Leadership, to me, is about being authentic and using your strengths to lift up the people around you," she said. "As a leader, I prioritize building real relationships while inspiring and motivating others with my actions."
It's not just relationships among her team or her fellow student leaders in SAAC that she prioritizes. Leah is focused on all Penn student-athletes. "I want to create more opportunities for athletes from different teams to connect, support each other, and feel part of something bigger than their individual programs," she said.
 
Leah is showing her commitment to creating spaces for connection by spearheading the development of Jewish Student Athletes at Penn. She said, "I believe the establishment of Jewish Student Athletes at Penn (JSAP) will provide Penn's athletic community another avenue to foster inclusivity and cultural awareness. Over the past year, many Jewish students have experienced moments of isolation and uncertainty on campus, underscoring the need for spaces where identity and belonging are actively affirmed."
 
Leading Beyond Penn
Leah earned herself the opportunity to represent Penn Athletics at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Dallas, Texas in a few short weeks. This forum provides both student-athletes and administrators with the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through personal reflection and exploration and practical skill development. This transformative forum stands to provide Leah with experiences and tools to benefit herself, her team, and Penn Athletics as a whole.
 
"I believe true leadership development comes from learning with and from others," Leah said, "and having the opportunity to travel across the country to immerse myself in an environment full of passionate, driven, and inspiring individuals is something I'm genuinely excited about."
 
Looking Ahead
Leah has another year left here at Penn, but she is already reflecting on how the responsibilities of being a student-athlete are preparing her for life beyond being a Quaker.
 
She said, "Being a student-athlete at Penn has taught me the value of commitment, discipline, and time management, skills that I'll take with me anywhere I go. It's also taught me how to stay present and appreciate the little moments that make the journey meaningful."
 
As she looks to her future, she is still figuring out what's next for her. "I'm not exactly sure what career path I'll pursue yet, but I'm interested in working in the realm of marketing or consumer strategy. As a cognitive science major and consumer psychology minor, I've become fascinated by how people think, make decisions, and respond differently across different domains. I would love to apply that understanding within professional sports, combining my academic interests with my passion for athletics and continuing to stay connected to the environment that's shaped so much of who I am."