Fellow:Gabriel Conners

I am Gabriel Conners, a student of collaboration and “creativity as currency.” With a passion to empower the epic in everyone, I attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, nestled in the south of Chicago’s urban core. In 2009, I took a five-year hiatus from the rigors of academia to explore a nagging reality that I can best sum up as “why do people live apathetic and uninspired lives?” I came to see that the most satisfied people were either pursuing a passion or at peace with life(or both!).

This journey has led me to Illinois Tech, where I study Social and Economic Development Policy and work with the University Innovations Fellowship, the IIT Student Government, and the office of Student Access, Success, and Diversity Initiatives to reform the culture of campus to better nurture creative passions. My life’s mission involves seeing this kind of culture shift spill over into surrounding communities, so that education institutions drive creative revolutions in their neighborhoods.

In my spare time, I love to romance things: sunsets, trees, architectural masterpieces, symphonies, blackberry cobblers, fractals, you name it! There is beauty in everything. I mostly express my soul through poetry and song, though I certainly let my feet give way to the occasional dance. My favorite gems in this world are my nephews: 1 and 3 years old. They remind me of the importance of relationships and the unlimited potential within each of us.

I’d love to know about your passions and to explore opportunities for collaboration; how can I help you realize your dreams?
Find me @GabrielConners and GabrielConners@gmail.com