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What makes a good leader? According to Jerome Nenger, a third-year doctoral student in the Community Research and Action program, it’s not what most people think.

“The core idea is leading with compassion,” he said. “Some people think that when you are leading, and you have compassion, you are weak — but that is the best leader, somebody who is making tough decisions and tough actions and yet cares for the feelings of the people that they’re leading. It’s not a ‘soft option’ to care for people’s feelings and well-being.”

Nenger realized this while attending the 12^th University Scholars Leadership Symposium at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, held between Aug. 6-9, 2024. The symposium was organized by Humanitarian Affairs Asia and aimed to show delegates how to build a peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world while networking, helping communities in need and hearing from like-minded and established speakers. The conference’s theme was “Be the Change.”

“The most challenging job is changing people’s hearts. All you need is your skills, character, time, and uniqueness,” Nenger said. “Balance addressing a challenge at its roots while supporting people through it. People need to be alive to see challenges solved.”

Originally from Nigeria, where he studied law, Nenger became an attorney in 2007 and worked in private practice for several years. After this experience, he discovered a passion for teaching and transitioned to academia. He taught at several law schools in East Africa before looking to diversify his path and opportunities.

More recently, after graduating from SUNY Buffalo Law School with his second Master of Laws (LLM) degree, the multidisciplinary nature of the College of Community and Public Affairs’ Community Research and Action (CRA) PhD program drew him to ��ñ��.

Nenger is focusing on the interplay of environmental justice and human rights, particularly the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable and marginalized communities.

To pursue this goal, he also completed an add-on certificate for his doctorate in genocide and mass atrocity prevention from the Institute of Genocide and Mass Atrocities Prevention (I-GMAP) and serves as a climate ambassador for the Kaschak Institute’s 1MReady_BING initiative.

While at the symposium, delegates were invited to participate in a community service project called “Kindness Day.” This work was impactful for Nenger, who participated in outreach at Bangpakong Mangrove Forest on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand.

“I chose the activity: ‘Greening our Coastlines,’” said Nenger, one of about 45 of the 400+ delegates (from 47 countries) who participated in this project at the conference. “My group was able to plant up to 800 mangrove trees to facilitate the restoration of degraded areas and to increase awareness about their ecological significance. This experience provided me with practical insights into the environmental benefits of mangroves, including their role in coastal protection, provision of habitat for marine life and carbon sequestration. It deeply affected my understanding of how important our ecosystem is and the community’s resilience.”

The immersive experience at the symposium rekindled Nenger’s passion for serving marginalized society. He has recently explored establishing a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and supporting community-based projects to reduce carbon footprints, inspired by the work of influential speakers at the symposium, including David James Begbie, founder of Crossroads Foundation in Hong Kong; Ifrah Ahmed, founder of the Ifrah Foundation in Somalia; and Sangduen Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation in Thailand.

During his time in Thailand, Nenger reconsidered what it means to be a leader and how to advance in his career while positively impacting those around him. As the President of the Community Research and Action Graduate Student Organization (CRAGSO), he hopes to reflect on the ideas expressed during the conference to be inclusive and empathetic with his team while fostering change.

“When you get into the practicals yourself, something happens,” Nenger said. “When you see a community that rises up on its own to begin to take care of the environment — when all hands are on deck — that’s when we can succeed against environmental issues.”