51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Anna Møller became the first Honors Program student to serve as University of North Georgia (51³Ô¹ÏÍø) Student Government Association (SGA) president when she was inaugurated ahead of her senior year. The title was just one of several leadership roles she was involved in during her time as a Nighthawk. The Copenhagen, Denmark, native served as a Multicultural Student Affairs ambassador, president of the Sustainability Club, and a lab assistant at the Environmental Leadership Center. 

"It's really interesting because I'm trying to make a research project that I can actually then implement with SGA and merge theory and practice," Møller said.  

Møller also became 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's first Rhodes Scholars finalist. 

As she earned a psychology degree and a minor in organizational leadership, Møller learned to lean into her vulnerability.

"I've led the best when I've been vulnerable. I've been growing as a leader and have learned the best leadership thing to do in those situations was to say we need to talk about this and then we're going to make a decision," she said. "As a leader, you need to be ready to make a decision, but you also need to acknowledge that you're not the person who's supposed to have all the answers."

Møller defines leadership as "the capacity to facilitate," which she describes as "the ability for one individual to support other people, to take initiative and lead in their lives, whatever position they hold," adding that she is grounded in ethical leadership.

Møller came to Dahlonega as a student-athlete but realized that opportunities to pursue involvement and leadership positions on campus were more related to her long-term career goals.  

She completed the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø leadership certificate program and sought as much leadership education as much as possible, including the cultural competence co-curricular certificate.

Diversity and inclusion and cultural competence trainings were an integrated part of what it meant to be a good leader, something at which Møller said she strived to constantly become better.

"High levels of diversity and inclusion are the breeding ground for better creativity, innovation, collaboration, and thereby academic excellence, all characteristics of an environment that leaders should aspire to create and facilitate," Møller said.