2024 Grad, Lincoln Laureate Honoree Named to ‘Global Leaders’ Program

Bianca Vianney Leon Garcia ’24 has been named to the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute’s fall 2024 class of Global Leaders.

She is one of seven recent college graduates and current college students selected for the program, which focuses on helping participants develop leadership, communication and interpersonal skills through congressional internships.

Leon Garcia, who received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy, is working in the office of U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois’ 17th District. The district represents Rockford, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal and the Illinois side of the Quad Cities region.

“A significant portion of my time is dedicated to communication with constituents and addressing their concerns,” she said. “Additionally, I collect press clips and have assisted in updating the congressman’s website with recent news to ensure constituents are well-informed. As the internship progresses, I will also be contributing to the drafting of legislative correspondence.”

Global Leaders are selected because they have “demonstrated outstanding leadership potential and a commitment to advancing the Hispanic community,” CHLI said.

“Being part of CHLI’s Global Leaders is deeply important to me,” Leon Garcia said. “It allows me to contribute to a movement that amplifies Latino voices and increases our visibility of diverse perspectives and life experiences, ensuring that they are both heard and respected.”

At Dominican, Leon Garcia was the recipient of the 2023-24 Lincoln Laureate Award for outstanding community service and academics, and for showing the ability to overcome obstacles to achieve excellence.

She was also named Outstanding Senior in the university’s International Relations and Diplomacy major.