Alumni Spotlight

Nate Steele

Steele attended the seminar in 2015 as a representative from Spruce Mountain High School. He graduated from the University of Southern Maine in January 2021 with a major in Business Administration and a minor in Tourism & Hospitality.

Steele currently works for Unum and has also been working with the Maine Mariners on their promotional team for the past few hockey seasons.

He took the time to answer some questions about his Maine Youth Leadership experience and how it has impacted his life. Keep reading to learn more about this outstanding alum.

How do you show the MYL pillar of volunteerism in your daily life?  

Volunteerism is stepping up to do the right thing, to help others out. No one is “just a,” we all  have the potential to impact someone, and I continue to believe that, and share this with others each and every day.  

How do you show the MYL pillar of character in your daily life?  

MYL’s idea of no judgement has made the biggest impact on me in my daily life. With no judgement, I firmly believe that it lets you be your true self. I continue to share this idea into my daily life to give others the opportunity to be themselves.  

How do you show the MYL pillar of leadership in your daily life?  

A leader, to me, is not afraid to take risks, no matter the result. I think taking risks is important,  because it makes for a great learning opportunity.  

How would you say MYL impacted your trajectory in life? (the decisions you made,  the things you did, etc.)  

From experiencing MYL, it has helped me understand people more. People who reflect MYL are  good for me, and I believe will give me the best support possible to be the person I strive to be.  Those are the people I want to stick around. 

Did any MYL relationship help you along your way? (JC, SF, AC, fellow alum, etc.)  and if so, how?  

Since I have been fortunate enough to experience multiple seminars within different capacities,  there hasn’t been any specific relationship that has helped me. It’s more of an array of spectacular individuals. I always know that my MYL family is there for me, and that’s reassuring.  

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?  

The legacy I want to leave behind is being known for giving others the opportunity for reaching their best self.  

What is your fondest memory from your MYL experience?  

My fondest memory of my MYL experience was my ambassador year. I remember not wanting  to go. At all. It was out of my comfort zone completely. I moaned and groaned the whole car ride to USM Gorham. Mr. Tom Renehan was the first to meet me where he shlepped my luggage to  registration. Everyone was so nice, and supporting. I knew at that moment that I was in good hands. Stepping out of your comfort zone is such an important thing to do, because it sets you up for growth at all levels.  

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?  

I’m a serious foodie. Cooking has become one of my favorite hobbies. I enjoy attempting to recreate challenging dishes, and putting my own spin on meals. Also, I have become seriously  interested in the Portland food culture. I plan on trying all of the popular restaurants in Portland, where I can rate them on what I think is the best.  

What gives you hope?  

Anytime I see people helping each other out, it gives me hope, and gets me fired up. I come from  a paper mill community that is going through a rough economic time, because of the low demand of paper products. My community that was once thriving, is now in need of help. A lot of us are  fortunate to have a lot of the little things in life, that may not be so little for others in need. It gives me hope when I see the people that are more fortunate help others in need. In order to make this world work, we all need to help each other out.

If you are a Maine Youth Leadership alum and you’d like to share your story, please email Maria NeCastro at mariatnecastro@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading!

[Published online: 2/8/2021]