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Incoming analyst, BlackRock

From her very first year, Kaela Gero wanted to make an impact on other students and show herself as a leader within the business school. Now, as a senior, she is one of the recipients of this year鈥檚 CU Student Leaders of the Year.

鈥淚 was putting myself in the position to be lucky,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was really fulfilling to see everything I had done these past years culminate into something before I graduate.鈥�

Originally from Broomfield, Gero had her heart set on attending UCLA, but her admittance into the Leeds Scholars program influenced her decision to come to CU Boulder instead. This spring, she will be graduating with an emphasis in finance and business analytics along with certificates in entrepreneurship and global business.

鈥淚 realized Scholars could be a really good way to set myself apart and give me a community that I鈥檝e been looking for,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I came to Boulder, I fell in love with it and never looked back.鈥�

Gero is a natural leader. She got herself involved in the Leeds Mentorship programs early on and also with Pick a Peer tutoring, as well as being a teaching assistant for Leeds instructor Don Oest. Outside of Leeds, she鈥檚 served on the CU Panhellenic Board as the VP of Finance. Through her leadership and mentorships, she鈥檚 learned a lot about herself and what makes a leader.

鈥淛ust because you're a leader doesn't mean that you have all the answers,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think that's the biggest thing: understanding that a leader can learn just as much from their followers as their followers can learn from a leader.鈥�

She believes that leaders need to have empathy, integrity and inclusivity. Though she鈥檚 learned a lot of these skills through experience, she鈥檚 also had mentors she鈥檚 been able to look up to and learn from as well.

鈥淭he mentors that I have in my life definitely helped guide my trajectory and helped me succeed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was really important for me to give back and do the same for other students.鈥�

Being named a CU Student Leader of the Year didn鈥檛 come without challenges. From lost free time to missed classes, Gero will often put her needs aside for others who need her help. She has certain routines that create boundaries between certain areas in her life, but they often meld together. She still maintains a growth mindset, knowing that she can always be better and that her work can be more impactful.

听鈥淎t any point in time, there's growth opportunities for myself and for others,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I don't ever want to stop getting better.鈥�

One of her biggest hobbies is traveling. She鈥檚 been to all 50 states and is convinced Colorado is the best. This summer after graduation, she plans to backpack with friends across Asia and visit South America with her family. After an exciting summer, she鈥檚 moving to San Francisco to start as an analyst at BlackRock.

As she transitions to a new chapter in her life, she hopes to be remembered as someone who is selfless, impactful and inspiring. Through her continuous mentorship and involvement in leadership positions across campus, she knows that she鈥檚 made her mark.

鈥淚 want to be remembered as someone who empowers others to achieve their best,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I hope someone I helped says 鈥業 had this mentor named Kaela who greatly impacted my life.鈥欌��

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