Syracuse University – 21st Century Leaders https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org Inspiring Youth to Lead Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:18:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/favicon-150x150.png Syracuse University – 21st Century Leaders https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org 32 32 Alumni Spotlight: Tonia Brown https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/alumni-spotlight-tonia-brown/ https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/alumni-spotlight-tonia-brown/#respond Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:46:20 +0000 https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/?p=11104

For our 35th anniversary, we’ll be sharing the stories of 35 alumni showcasing the leaders they are today and how 21st Century Leaders inspired and impacted their journey. Alumni will represent the 3.5 decades since our founding in 1989 – the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Take a read and be inspired!

35th Anniversary Alumni Spotlight

2010’s Decade
Name: Tonia Brown
H.S. Grad Year: Class of 2018
High School: Eagle’s Landing High School
College: Mississippi State University/Syracuse University
Current Role: Meteorologist & On Air Personality, WBRC

How has your career unfolded, and how did participating in 21CL help prepare you for your next steps?

I am a professional meteorologist, content creator, and Navy Reserve METOC officer, and my journey in these roles has been significantly shaped by the skills I gained in 21CL. The program taught me the core qualities of leadership—confidence, humility, professionalism, and resilience. Through 21CL, I learned that leadership is not only about guiding others but also about consistently showing up as the best version of myself in any environment. These skills were invaluable as I navigated new leadership roles in college and beyond. As a young leader, I’ve discovered that it is possible to pursue a meaningful career while also nurturing my family and personal passions. Balancing these aspects of life is challenging, but the journey is truly rewarding.

What’s your most memorable or ‘aha’ moment during your time at 21CL?

My ‘aha’ moment came during the Turner Voices Youth Media Institute, especially while touring CNN. This experience deepened my passion for news and media, which has become central to my career as an on-air meteorologist for WBRC. The program encouraged me to ask questions, express my ideas, and speak confidently in front of an audience—skills crucial in my career. The mentorship and encouragement I received from the 21CL community helped me believe in my potential at a young age and ultimately guided me toward where I am today.

Did 21CL assist you in developing a leadership style that makes you an effective leader?

Absolutely! 21CL helped me shape a transformative leadership style emphasizing growth, learning, and development. I believe that as leaders, we’re never truly finished learning and growing, and the program taught me to embrace this mindset. My approach as a leader is to encourage others to strive for excellence, knowing that perfection isn’t the goal, but consistent improvement is. This mindset has allowed me to support and inspire those around me, fostering a positive and resilient team culture.

Why do you believe programs like 21CL are important, and what advice would you give to a current or future student?

Programs like 21CL are crucial because they invest in young people’s development early on, equipping them with skills, confidence, and vision. They encourage young minds to pursue their dreams, however big they may seem, by providing both practical skills and a supportive community. My advice to a current or future student would be to embrace every opportunity to learn and grow, ask questions, and never hold back from pursuing what excites you. The journey may be challenging, but these foundational experiences will set you up for success in ways you might not even imagine yet.

Share the inspiration!

]]> https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/alumni-spotlight-tonia-brown/feed/ 0 Alumni Spotlight: Juwan Thompson https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/alumni-spotlight-juwan-thompson/ Thu, 04 Oct 2018 23:07:07 +0000 https://staging.21stcenturyleaders.org/alumni-spotlight-juwan-thompson/ The first Alumni Spotlight for the month of October is Juwan Thompson. He is currently a graduate student at Syracuse University while at the same time working for Taylor Global Inc.  AND he is an inaugural recipient of the Taylor Fellowship Program at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Graduate Public Relations Program at Syracuse University. Juwan graduated from Arabia Mountain High School in 2014. Here he shares how meeting corporate business leaders while attending 21CL program helped shape his passion for entertainment and a sports career!

 Paint a picture of what you are doing now.

I am currently a master’s student at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, studying Strategic Public Relations with a focus on Entertainment and Sports. I completed my bachelor’s at the Whitman School of Management, also at Syracuse University, studying Entrepreneurship & Emerging Enterprises with a focus on Television and Film.

During my time as a master’s candidate, I will have the unique opportunity to work for Taylor Global, Inc., a global leader in sports and entertainment marketing and public relations, which is partnering with the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications Graduate Public Relations Program at Syracuse University to offer the Taylor Fellowship Program. This marks the first year of the Taylor fellowship program and I will be the inaugural recipient! The program includes $10,000 in scholarship funding, a paid part-time remote internship during the Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 semesters, and a paid full-time internship in one of Taylor’s offices beginning in Summer 2019.

Furthermore, I will be working with brands such as Mercedes Benz USA, Proctor & Gamble, DIAGO, COMCAST, Capital One, Jordan by Nike and more.

How did participating in 21CL change you and/or lead you to where you are now?

21CL really opened my eyes to what it meant to be a leader, let alone a business leader, in the 21st Century (I know, kinda corny. But true!). I was able to learn from so many thought-leaders about the many facets of a corporate organization, which really gave me the opportunity to think about how my passion for entertainment could fit within it all. I left the program that Friday with almost 40 business cards from individuals that I had met. I made sure I followed up with each of them and one actually ended up helping me the following school year, my senior year in high school, with a community event I had to put together.

I was so enlightened by the program that I decided to apply for the Youth Advisory Board, now know as the Youth Ambassadors, which I was selected for. Serving with so many dedicated students and staff really put the icing on the cake.

What was a memorable or ‘aha’ moment in 21CL? (Particular program, meeting a professional, etc.?)

Definitely meeting some wonderful friends. Ironically, we actually still keep in touch. It was late at night, after all of the program’s festivities, and some friends and I decided to hang out a bit more to learn about one another. After what seemed like a few hours of campfire talk, we ended up finding out one was a talented pianist and some others were singers. So, we found a piano in the same building, and all sung popular songs together.

Which programs did you participate in, and when?

I participated in the Youth Leadership Institute (now SYLI) at Emory University’s Goizuetta School of Business in 2013 and served on the Youth Advisory Board the following school year.

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 tools/perspectives have helped you along the way?

The program really illustrated what it meant to network, discover your passion and build meaningful friendships along the way.

What’s something you have recently learned about leadership?

Leadership is not a person, but a character trait. It is something that has to be fine-crafted and developed over time. It’s doing what you said you would do, even when no one tells you to do it.

That’s my personal belief.

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