Learning to be leaders and achieving greatness

By Lauren McMillan

What is leadership to you?

There are nearly countless definitions of leadership, as there are almost endless ways to lead. Even though the knowledge of how to be a successful leader is extremely important, many people learn these qualities late in their career.

In the Organizational and Community Leadership concentration of the Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications program, students learn necessary skills from the very beginning, to achieve greatness when working with others. Illini Emerging Leaders (IEL) exists to share the wealth of this knowledge outside of the major.

IEL is an registered student organization created to educate people around campus and our community about leadership, through monthly meetings, leadership training and leadership conferences.

The IEL executive team works with faculty in the leadership concentration to assist in making the most effective lessons for their members. Effective leadership traits, working in groups and teams, coaching and dealing with change have been a few topics reached. With only one meeting a month, members attend meetings excited by what else they can learn to share with their other organizations.

Besides working with campus students, members are now visiting neighboring community schools to share their passion and knowledge about leadership with the next generation.

Every day this organization works to make a difference in our campus and community — through educating, instilling new passions, or forming a path of success for our members in their future careers.

Hopefully everyone is able to find their own definition of leadership firsthand through their experience in IEL.