For Emma Snyder, meaningful leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about bringing people together, creating opportunities, and helping others recognize what they’re capable of accomplishing. It’s an approach that has shaped her career and her work at Lawrence University, and one that recently earned her recognition as one of the Future 15 of the Fox Valley.
As managing director of Lawrence’s Business and Entrepreneurship Center, Snyder works to connect students with professionals, alumni, entrepreneurs, and opportunities throughout the Fox Valley. Her goal is to help students see how their interests and experiences can translate into meaningful careers, regardless of their academic background.
“My job is to help bring those worlds together,” Snyder said. “We have incredibly talented students, dedicated faculty, accomplished alumni, and a community full of professionals who have so much knowledge and experience to share.”
Snyder’s path to Lawrence wasn’t necessarily a straight line. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public administration from Bowling Green State University before spending several years with gener8tor, where she worked with entrepreneurs, startups, corporate partners, and community organizations through accelerator programming.
Those experiences helped shape her relationship-driven approach to leadership and reinforced the importance of making connections.
“Some of the most valuable things you can offer someone aren’t necessarily financial resources or technical expertise, but rather an introduction, a conversation, encouragement, or simply someone who believes in what they’re trying to accomplish,” she said.
That philosophy carries into her work at Lawrence, where Snyder sees opportunities to connect students’ liberal arts experiences with a wide range of professional fields. Through initiatives such as Music and Entrepreneurship Week and Career Insight Carousel events, she creates opportunities for students to explore industries, meet professionals, and begin building relationships that can extend well beyond their time on campus.
She also hopes students recognize the opportunities available right here in the Fox Valley.
“We have so many incredible businesses, organizations, and opportunities right here in the Fox Valley, and I want Lawrence students to recognize that they don’t necessarily have to leave the area to build an exciting and meaningful career,” Snyder said.
Looking ahead, Snyder hopes to continue expanding the Business and Entrepreneurship Center’s presence both on campus and throughout the region, with an emphasis on alumni engagement, connections with young professionals, and interactive opportunities for students to explore different career paths.
For Snyder, the Future 15 recognition is both a meaningful personal milestone and an opportunity to reflect on the people who have supported her along the way. She credits her family and friends for their encouragement throughout her education and professional journey and feels fortunate to work in a community that values collaboration and connection.
Ultimately, she hopes to help make the Fox Valley a place where people recognize the possibilities around them and feel empowered to pursue them.
“If I can play even a small role in helping someone discover their potential, build a relationship that changes their career, or recognize an opportunity they didn’t know existed, I consider that a success,” she said.
