Student View: How stepping into uncertainty shaped my leadership at Broad

Enna Fretz is a senior majoring in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation at the Broad College of Business, graduating in spring 2026. She is co-president of the MSU Marketing Association, a scholar in the Dashney Women’s Leadership Accelerator, and is passionate about mentorship, travel, and making the most of every opportunity.

Enna Fretz is a senior majoring in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation at
The Broad College of Business

There is a version of growth that does not feel exciting at first. It feels unfamiliar. It feels uncomfortable. It feels like standing at the edge of something you are not fully sure you are ready for and choosing to step forward anyway.

I realized that in the middle of college, at the end of my sophomore year, when I was preparing to take on my most daunting leadership role yet: president of the MSU Marketing Association. What should have felt exciting also came with a lot of uncertainty. I had questions about whether I was ready, whether I would lead well, and how I was supposed to navigate the challenges that came with stepping into something bigger than anything I had done before.

At that point, I had already met so many people at Broad whom I deeply admired. They were thoughtful, decisive, and willing to embrace challenge rather than avoid it. I began to notice that some of the people I looked up to most were not necessarily the people who had everything figured out. They were the people who were willing to act anyway. They asked questions. They said yes to opportunities that stretched them. They did not wait to feel completely comfortable before stepping forward.

That mindset pushed me to apply for the Dashney Women’s Leadership Accelerator. I had been inspired through conversations with mentors and peers to pursue it, and when I joined the Fall 2024 cohort, I quickly realized it would become one of the most meaningful experiences of my time at Broad.

Through DWLA, I was surrounded by women who challenged me to think more intentionally about leadership, communication, and the kind of impact I wanted to have. I had the opportunity to connect with distinguished women leaders from a wide range of industries and learn through workshops focused on public speaking, negotiation, human resources, people management, team building, and leadership in practice. More than anything, the experience expanded my skill set in the ways that matter most in everyday life, not just professionally, but in how I show up for other people.

One of the most meaningful lessons I gained through that experience came from Helen Dashney, someone I am incredibly grateful to know as both a mentor and a leader I deeply admire. Through her example, and through the conversations and development that DWLA made possible, I began to understand that leadership is not only about personal growth. It is about what happens when you share that growth. The value of what you learn multiplies when you use it to encourage, support, and open doors for others.

That idea changed the way I approached my time at Broad.

I started to see leadership not just as something connected to a title, but as something lived out in conversations, in encouragement, and in the willingness to be curious. I brought those lessons back into my leadership with the MSU Marketing Association, where over the past two years I have had the chance to help expand professional development opportunities, strengthen mentorship, and launch initiatives like our Business Committee. Through Broad Leaders Council, volunteer efforts, and collaborations across Broad student organizations, I also came to understand how much is possible when students intentionally learn from one another and build together.

What I have loved most is seeing how one conversation can completely shift the direction of someone’s path. That was true for me. It was through conversations, networking, and experiential opportunities, alongside my academics, that I discovered the industry path that felt right for me. Before Broad, I did not fully understand how expansive the world of marketing could be. It was through mentors, programs, and asking one more question that I began to see paths in media and advertising that I had never considered before. That discovery eventually gave me the confidence to pursue opportunities like my internship with NBCUniversal, as well as experiences that broadened me personally and professionally, including studying abroad in New Zealand and Australia.

That is what stands out to me most about Broad. You are not handed every answer, but you are constantly surrounded by opportunities to find them. The people here, the organizations, the

mentors, and the experiences all create an environment where curiosity is rewarded. I have learned that many of the questions rooted in doubt, questions like “Do I belong here?” or “Is this really for me?” cannot be answered by overthinking. They are answered through action. You will never fully know what is possible for you until you try.

As I prepare for graduation, that is one of the biggest lessons I will carry with me. Some of the most transformative parts of my college experience came from stepping just beyond what felt comfortable. From saying yes before I felt fully ready. From being curious enough to ask the extra question. From trusting that growth often begins exactly where certainty ends. Broad gave me more than opportunities. It gave me a community that showed me how to step into them, and it taught me that the best way to honor what you have learned is to turn around and share it.

That is the kind of leader I hope to keep becoming long after graduation.