Welcome!
Are you interested in connecting with a mentor in your field and growing as a leader at GateWay and beyond? If so, the GANAS (GateWay Academic Nexus Advancing Students) Latinx Leadership Institute is looking for you! Sponsored by the Hispanic-Serving Institution grant ÉXITO (#P031S190167), the GANAS program is designed to foster a network of Latinx/a/o- and/or Hispanic-identifying students who will become leaders in their careers and communities.
As a GANAS participant, you will have the opportunity to develop a high-impact relationship with an experienced professional in your field of interest, and gain insights into how to successfully take your first steps after completing your time at GateWay. In addition to your mentor, you will develop a network of Latinx and Hispanic student colleagues in your cohort, and expand one another's understanding of leadership and identity. Upon completing the institute, GANAS student leaders will be equipped with knowledge, perspectives, and skills necessary for being an effective and equitable leader at GateWay and beyond.
If you are interested in joining GANAS, email dei@gatewaycc.edu for more information or apply today.
Eligibility
Self-identify Latinx and/or Hispanic
*If you do not identify as Hispanic and/or Latinx/a/o, click here to check out other leadership opportunities available to you*
Enrolled at GateWay
Must be enrolled at GateWay for Fall 2023 and plan to enroll for Spring 2024
Minimum GPA 2.0 or New to College
Minimum GPA 2.0 or New to College
Sessions
Sessions
GANAS participants are required to attend four (4) sessions in Fall 2023 and four (4) sessions in Spring 2024. Schedule is to be determined.
This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Title V Hispanic Serving Institution grant ÉXITO (#P031S190167) at GateWay.
What will I learn? What will I get out of this?
- Learn what it means to be a leader, and what makes you one.
- Reflect on your own personal and cultural values, and how to enact them as a leader.
- Develop your own leadership style based on your unique experiences and background.
- Gain new perspectives on how to work, communicate, and be an effective and equitable leader for diverse teams.
- Explore strategies and approaches with your mentor to help you succeed in your field of interest.
- Practice how to communicate and advocate to reach your goals.
- Envision how you can be a leader in your community.
- Connect with local leaders to explore how you can contribute to improving our community well-being.
- Develop critical thinking skills
GANAS – FAQ
Ganas - 1. Noun: The desire or willpower to do something, or make something happen; 2. Verb: You win, earn, reach, or improve. Our team chose "ganas" for the title of this program because it encapsulates our mission, as well as providing a familiar representation of Hispanic culture in this dedicated space. Apart from the meanings listed above, "ganas" often appears in the phrase, "Échale ganas" ("give it your all"). Many Latinx students grew up hearing this from parents, family members and friends whenever facing a sizable obstacle or opportunity. Our hope is that the GANAS leadership institute provides a new opportunity for our students to échenle ganas and grow as leaders.
- One hour sessions once a month
- One hour monthly meeting with a mentor.
- GANAS staff will notify you of any other activities outside of scheduled sessions and mentor meetings if any arise.
- Yes, you will need to be enrolled for both Fall 2023 and Spring 2024.
- We understand that enrollment for Spring 2024 opens in October 2023.
The term “Latinx” emerged in recent years as an inclusive term for descendants of Latin American immigrants in the United States who hold a non-binary gender identity (i.e. they do not hold a fixed gender identity of “man” or “woman,” and may hold multiple gender identities or none at all).
As a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the GANAS program is part of the college's effort to intentionally serve Hispanic/Latinx students. In order to combat persistent gaps in equitable outcomes in education and eliminate structural inequities in the workplace affecting Hispanic and Latinx/a/o communities. GANAS aims to connect Latinx students with mentors, colleagues and other professionals who can speak to various lived experiences of navigating leadership spaces where Latinxs are still emerging.
The GANAS team chose the colibrí (hummingbird) as the symbol of the program because it embodies many elements of our students' identities, stories, and resilience. Native to the Americas, the colibrí's unique combination of delicate size, colorful markings, lightning speed, tenacity, and the ability to gracefully fly in any direction have made it a significant figure in various indigenous religions and folklore. Whether the god of war and sun, a peacekeeper, a healer, or a tireless messenger between worlds, the colibrí has enduring cultural symbolism. Further, the colibrí's annual migrations across North and Central America call to mind our own family migration stories, and our ability to endure challenges despite how small we may seem against them. We believe all GANAS participants possess qualities of the colibrí that will enable them to be the resilient, nimble and just leaders.