Alumni Spotlight: Brandi Harrison

Brandi Harrison, is the Senior Manager of Production Operations and Crewing at Turner, a graduate of H.V. Jenkins High School (1997) and of Brenau University (2001). She is an alumna of 21st Century Leaders and now serves as chairperson of the 21CL Junior Board of Directors. At the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards (GYLA 2019) event which took place on March 2, 2019, Brandi was our keynote alumni speaker and gave a moving speech and talked about the inspiration, skills and values she acquired during her 21CL years. She also encouraged everyone who has been impacted by program to give back.

Following is part of her speech:

“I’m thrilled to be here tonight in the presence of such amazing students who are shaping the future right before our eyes! I’m in awe of the vision and determination that each of you have shown in the projects you’ve created. And it makes me think about my experiences with 21st Century Leaders.

I went through the summer program twice, in ’95 and ’96, as a rising junior and a rising senior. Back then, each level had a focus – for instance, the rising sophomores had to start a business and most of them sold chips and candy throughout the week – so you always knew who to hit up for a midnight snack in the dorms!

I know for a fact that I can draw a direct line between those 2 summers and who I am today.

  • In that intimate environment, I learned to work with a wide diverse group of students from all over GA and it shattered any stereotype that I had of “city people” or “country people”. A trait that helps me manage my current staff of 12 today.
  • I worked on real business projects and presented solutions to professionals which required me to ask thought provoking questions and understand company’s pain points. Skills that I use every day to find efficiencies in how we manage our production studios and resources at Turner.
  • And I was required to lead – not asked, not just suggested. There was an expectation that I would build teams, mentor others, and be a strong teammate to other leaders. I’ve used that talent to secure every job I’ve ever earned. And I’ll rely on it as I step into the new role of Chairman for our very first 21st Century Leaders Junior Board. Together, along with the other alumni on the Junior Board, we have a goal to reach out and galvanize our 14 thousand alumni… reconnecting them to the program and its mission.

All of those skills and expectations were originally ignited 30 years ago and fueled by the passion of our very own, Bob Watson!

Bob is such a special person. The first time I met him was my very first day of my first camp. I was walking up to the registration table and Bob happened to be standing there. He asked my name and once I said Brandi Harrison, his face LIT UP! He knew me and he was excited to meet me. As a 15 year old it was so memorable, there are few adults, outside of family that are thrilled to meet you! In the moment I thought I was special, but as I watched him the rest of the day, he had that same reaction to every single student he met and he’d mentioned tidbits from their application and interviews.

Bob has carried that same excitement and passion through every stage of building 21st Century Leaders into the organization it is today. And I know each and every one of you here have been impacted by 21st Century Leaders and touched by Bob’s passion.

Brandi went on to encourage everyone who had been impacted by 21st Century Leaders to support the organization, which lead into our crowdfunding campaign for the “Robert Watson Scholarship” that evening.

As Chairperson for the Junior Board of Directors, Brandi encourages all of our alumni to reengage with 21st Century Leaders in some way. Join a committee with the Junior Board, volunteer with the program and events, or donate to help future generations lead. 

Thank you, Brandi! Congratulations on all of your success thus far, and thank you for giving back to 21st Century Leaders.

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: Manny Elsar, Jr.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” last=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_title margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”default” sep_color=””]

21CL Alumni Spotlight: Manny Elsar, Jr.

[/fusion_title][fusion_imageframe image_id=”18666″ style_type=”none” stylecolor=”” hover_type=”none” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderradius=”0″ align=”left” lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” alt=”” link=”” linktarget=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=””]https://www.21stcenturyleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MannyElsar-300×300.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_text]

You wouldn’t know it now, but before participating in 21st Century Leaders, Manny Elsar, Jr. held himself back from talking to the people he could learn from. Then, he attended Leadership Unplugged: A CNN Experience (which has since evolved into Turner Voices Youth Media Institute) in 2012, and the art of conversation was unlocked!

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

21CL was the catalyst to a number of leadership positions I’ve had on campus. Leadership Unplugged brought me out my comfort zone by introducing me to a different set of influential people in the field I wanted to go into in high school. (Funny enough, I don’t do anything in journalism in college but in the future I’d love to be on news shows like Bloomberg and CNNMoney discussing economic policies!) I think the number one thing that 21CL taught me was that networking is key in a work setting. If you don’t leave a business setting without learning the story of at least one person there, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

What was your most memorable moment in 21CL? 

My most memorable moment in 21CL was the salsa dancing! It was a nice way to unwind from the other aspects of the week, and it taught me something new that I’d never experienced before. This was four years ago, but I also remember meeting Carl Azuz.

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 or perspectives have helped you along the way?

One thing that 21CL does well on a consistent basis is making sure its students are prepared to enter the world as young professionals, no matter what field they enter. I distinctly remember feeling so empowered after the week at Georgia Tech because it showed me that people who looked like me and came from similar backgrounds like myself were not just living, but thriving in their careers. I’ve brought that sense of comradery I felt in 21CL and brought it to organizations that I’ve been a part of at UGA. 

A critical tool that I gained from 21CL was the ability to “work a room.” Before Leadership Unplugged, I was very timid and never really tried to break free from the mold that I created for myself (quiet, does well in school and nothing more). After 21CL, I remember my parents talking about how I became a lot more outgoing and willing to just talk to people. If there’s one thing that we can all improve on as young professionals, it’s the art of conversation. Knowing when to let other people guide the discussion or speaking up when it makes sense is a skill that I’m still honing to this day, but it never would have started without my experiences in 21CL. For that, I’m forever grateful.

[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”single solid” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”#000000″ top_margin=”2″ bottom_margin=”2″ border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”50%” alignment=”center” /][fusion_text]

Manny Elsar, Jr. is a senior at the University of Georgia studying Economics & International Affairs with a minor in Spanish. He graduated from Etowah High School in 2013.

Manny took the lessons from his time in 21CL into many new opportunities where he could grow in personal and community leadership. In 2016 Manny was selected to be an Orientation Leader at UGA for matriculating freshmen, and in 2017 he reconnected with 21CL to serve as a volunteer leader to current 21CL students at the Goizueta Youth Leadership Summit!

Thank you, Manny, for inspiring us to seek a connection in any conversation and for sharing your leadership with 21CL!

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]