Alumni Spotlight: Onyekachim Amauwah

Meet Onyekachim Amauwah (PhD.), our second alumni spotlight for June! She is a graduate of Collins Hill High School (2009), of Georgia State University and of Hampton University (2019). Onyekachim says that 21CL gave her skills that made her a leader who leaves room for others to shine! 

Paint a brief picture of what you are doing now.

I recently graduated from Hampton University with my doctorate degree in physical therapy.  My life has wholly been that of a full time graduate student, so I’m slowly re-entering “regular” daily life including getting involved in community service activities, looking to moving out of state to begin practicing and finding work/life balance.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

21 Century Leaders helped me refine my thought process on leadership. It’s not about being the most boisterous or only using my plan, but about using a team approach and listening to the ideas of others. It taught me how to work with people from different backgrounds and ethnic groups, while working for the greater good.

How did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

The program helped me feel more confident with my interview process and getting into undergrad. I also used that confidence at work.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

I attended the winter leadership summit almost 10 years ago and I don’t remember a specific ‘aha’ moment but the whole summit was inspirational.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

21CL was a catalyst to my success in leadership roles, something I didn’t realize until much later. Interacting with people from different backgrounds,  preparing and delivering an elevator speech, were some of the important skills I learned. Now that I am preparing to enter my career I am going to put to good use these skills acquired and refined over the years and continue to be a leader that leaves room for others to shine. A leader does not have to be the focal point of a gathering! 

 

Alumni Spotlight: Jacque-Corey Cormier

Jacque-Corey Cormier, Ph.D. is our first alumni spotlight for June 2019! A graduate of Southwest DeKalb High School (2006), Morehouse College (2010, Masters), Georgia Southern (2012), and of Georgia State University (2017, PhD) He currently works as a clinical Assistant Professor at Georgia State University in the School of Public Health. Jacque-Corey also serves on the inaugural 21CL Junior Board and has served as 21CL Summer staff for more than 13 years. He says he serves on the 21CL Junior Board so he can advance the mission of 21st Century Leaders and assist in the development of youth.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

21CL transformed how I thought about leadership and influence.  The person who knows when to ask less talkative people for their input, how to motivate a team towards a common goal, and how to ensure that group members get something out of their contributions has more influence than a person with the title and selfish intentions.

And how did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

21CL prepared me for college and graduate school as I had to take a lot of personal initiative to get research and professional experiences.  From networking to group projects, my academic career was filled with opportunities to lead others.  I have served as president for a couple of student organizations and in other executive roles for others.

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

Between the summers of 2003 and 2005, I attended summer leadership institutes at Oglethorpe College, Southern Polytechnic College, and Georgia Southern University.  I became more aware of college settings and a better communicator.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

My senior year (2005) Bob Watson, founding executive director, led an activity where we had to work in groups to build a Lego helicopter.  The one person who saw the final Lego product was not allowed to speak unless someone asked him/her a question.  We did not realize that the non-talker had the most useless information until midway through the activity.  Those who talk less hear more, so never forget to include them in group decisions.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

I completed my Community Psychology Ph.D. dissertation on transformational leadership development, so I could write several pages on leadership styles.  I have learned that transformational leadership, the style of leadership 21CL teaches, is the one most associated with favorable outcomes, i.e. task deliverables, employee satisfaction, and group member engagement.

Alumni Spotlight: Delaney Strunk

Our second spotlight for the month of February is Delaney Strunk, a graduate of Roswell High School (2013) and of Georgia State University (2017). She works for CNN as an Associate Producer on the Mobile Programming team at CNN. Delaney participated in the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute in 2012 and says that nothing prepared her more for future career interviews than that workshop. Read more…

Paint a brief picture of what you are doing now. 

I am an Associate Producer on the Mobile Programming team at CNN.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

The first time I ever stepped foot in the CNN Center in Atlanta was during my 21CL program. I can still remember the electricity I felt when looking at the newsroom for the first time. Spending the week talking with employees and learning about their work process helped reaffirm my decision to pursue a degree in journalism. I was on the fence about where I wanted to attend college, but staying in Atlanta for the week helped me realize there was no other place I wanted to be than downtown, so I went to Georgia State University.

And how did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

Not only did 21CL help me with my fear of public speaking, but I learned quickly how to network effectively. It’s not about how many business cards you can get in one networking event, it’s about forming personal connections with new people. Going into college I focused on diving deeper into the projects I was already committed to, as opposed to racking up as many “resume friendly” projects as I possibly could.

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

I participated in the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute in 2012. I still think about our elevator pitch training to this day. Nothing prepare me more for future career interviews than that workshop.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

This may be an incredibly niche experience, but I truly think about this moment almost once a week. During 21CL I had fire engine red hair (I’ve always been a bit eccentric) and I also took my nose piercing out for the week because of the dress code rules of the program. I remember making a side comment to one of the CNN Student News employees about feeling a little out of place professionally because my look was a little more out there. Well, the night of the dinner the employee made sure to introduce me to a coworker who had tattoos, multiple piercings and dyed hair. That small little gesture allowed me to see myself at the company. I no longer felt out of place. It made me feel like maybe one day I could actually become a CNN employee. I know that may seem small, but here I am now as a CNN employee!

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? if so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

More than anything, 21CL taught me that a leader is nothing without their team. I think in high school it was really easy to get caught up in trying to be the best, and while a leader should always strive to succeed, it shouldn’t be in a selfish way. When you focus on personally succeeding you forget about the people around you. I think the group project aspect of the week really helped solidify how working effectively together with others is a form of leadership.

Alumni Spotlight: Kaitlin Martin

This month’s Alumni Spotlight features Kaitlin Martin, who shares about her leadership journey and the skills acquired from 21st Century Leaders that helped her excel in her leadership roles. She currently works as a Business Analyst at MarketSource, and is a graduate of Northview High School (2009) and of Georgia State University (2013). Here is what she has to say:

Paint a brief picture of what you are doing now.

Currently, I am a Business Analyst at MarketSource where I work closely with the Corporate Innovation Team to develop key performance indicators, data visualizations, and reporting solutions for the different departments within the organization. One of my favorite parts of my role is being able to leverage my creativity to develop solutions to complex problems. I am currently learning how to incorporate agile concepts onto our team and how doing so will make our department more efficient overall. I have also had the opportunity to mentor and coach our summer interns, including a current 21st Century Leader member, Maya Ellison.

How did participating in 21CL transform you and lead you to where you are now?

Since graduating from Georgia State University, I have had the opportunity to work at Walt Disney World, GEICO, and MarketSource, an Allegis Group Company. 21st Century Leaders equipped me with the skill set I needed to help me excel in each of my roles. One of the most important skills I learned from the program was to always have a growth mindset. It’s incredibly important to be open to coaching and feedback and to make the effort to incorporate what you’ve learned. There is always room to improve and you can learn something new from each individual you encounter throughout your professional career.

And how did 21CL prepare you for your next steps? Going into college and taking on leadership roles, heading into a new era of professionalism, etc. What skills/tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

21CL set me up for success by helping develop confidence, critical thinking, and a professional presence. This coaching was extremely valuable in helping me get comfortable speaking in front of executive leadership, analyzing situations to make informed decisions, and working effectively with a team. These skills helped me immensely throughout college as well as my professional career. Additionally, I’ve learned that having a positive attitude is one of the most important soft skills you can bring into an office. You can’t always control the situation, but you can control your reaction towards it, which can make or break your overall career.

Which programs did you participate in, and when? What skills did you gain or improve through those programs?

My favorite program I participated in was the Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit where we got to design a shoe for Nike. This experience sparked my creativity and solidified my desire to major in Marketing. From this summit, I learned valuable presentation, networking, and innovative ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking skills that I’ve taken with me throughout my career.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting professional and diverse peers, speaking in public for the first time, etc.?)

During the Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit, we had the opportunity to network with executives from Fortune 500 companies across the region. I learned that most people are happy to share with you the lessons they’ve learned from their professional experiences. This experience gave me the confidence to seek out mentors who can help further guide my professional career and ask questions that I may have been afraid to ask before.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader? If so how? And have you recently learned something else about leadership? Please share!

Absolutely! 21CL helped me develop a leadership style that is collaborative, visionary, and strategic. I learned that empowering others and leveraging individual strengths is one of the best ways to build an effective team. I have also been extremely lucky to have several great mentors who have helped me develop my leadership style as well.