Growing into a Leadership Role

Anthea Gonzalez says she treasures her time as an M. A. and Lila Self Leadership Academy scholar the most out of all her Illinois Tech experiences. The academy presents numerous opportunities to improve personal and teambuilding skills inside and outside of the classroom through support and resources to succeed in academics, and provides a safe space to practice and grow leadership skills.

“I came into the academy as a freshman with three other freshman scholars, and while it was intimidating at first, I was able to quickly find comfort and support from the older scholars,” Anthea says. “I had the privilege of being surrounded by other highly motivated students that inspired me to do my best throughout my college career. I know that the things that I learned about myself throughout my time in the academy will stay with me for a long time.”

Those skills were put to the test when Anthea joined Illinois Tech’s Collegiate Leadership Competition team in an international competition that provides a high-impact opportunity for students to apply their leadership skills and receive critical, real-time coaching and feedback.

“One of my proudest achievements from my time at Illinois Tech was being able to participate in and win the Collegiate Leadership Competition in 2019,” Anthea says. “The whole team practiced for weeks leading up to the competition, and it was amazing to see our hard work pay off.”

Nearly 1,400 students from 110 institutions participate in the Collegiate Leadership Competition, where they apply attributes of effective leadership, including, creative problem solving, navigating difficult conversations, conflict resolution, and ethical decision-making.