Bushra Amiwala ’25 MBA

Bushra Amiwala makes an impact wherever she goes. In fact, she was the first Gen Z elected to public office in Chicago. Today, Bushra is an account manager at Google, pursuing her MBA at Kellogg — and she’s not slowing down anytime soon.

In the years since she was elected to the Skokie School Board, she has spoken in more than 26 states, landed on the cover of TIME magazine, and was named one of Glamour's “Women of the Year”. On top of her public accolades, she has also been candid about the work she’s had to do behind closed doors to allow her to reach her potential as a leader. 

“My greatest insecurity was rooted in my physical appearance,” Bushra said at her TEDx speech at DePaul University. “There is no such thing as being perfect. Reaching for such an unattainable standard makes us fall down this cycle of convincing ourselves to wait, that maybe we’re not good enough, and creating excuses for ourselves.”

But she confided to the audience, she knew she had to give herself permission to change and overcome her insecurity in order to make her goals a reality. As her mentor says, “never say no to yourself.”

That self-permission has become a hallmark of Bushra’s journey. With plans to graduate from Kellogg’s Evening & Weekend MBA program in 2025 — “I only have three classes left!” — she’s already eyeing her next leadership role. “Congress or a federal seat” is of potential interest, but for Bushra, it’s the impact that matters most, regardless of title.

A journey fueled by purpose

Bushra’s passion for service has been a driving force since her teens. Inspired by volunteer work and an AP Government class that opened her eyes to the lack of diversity in local leadership, she brought that motivation into her work. 

“I remember when I first was running for public office. I chose to run because I didn’t see anyone that looked like me: a Gen Z Muslim woman, wearing a hijab,” she said. “When I first ran, I was told I was too young. But when I ran again just six months later, I was told I was part of the Democratic machine, the establishment, not rooted in the community. I was a part of the establishment? I wasn’t even elected!”

This resilience carried over into her experience at Kellogg, particularly in her Crisis Management class, which helped her gain perspective on her public role. Amiwala explains, “I learned to ask, ‘What things are worth responding to? What things will die down on their own? How quickly do I respond?’”

Leaning into leadership and impact

After earning her undergraduate degree in management information systems from DePaul University, Bushra chose Kellogg for its wide range of electives with a strong focus on leadership. Courses like Beyond Diversity have shaped her outlook and fortified her skills for navigating complex systems, both in public office and in her corporate role.

As she prepares to step into higher leadership roles, one thing is certain: She’s just getting started. Her focus on constant learning and evolving leadership has earned her a place in the next generation of change-makers. 

“What I really like about Kellogg is that there is a very heavy emphasis on the type of leader that you will show up to be in this world,” Bushra notes. “One piece of impact I would love to have in the course of my career is to ensure I am not the ‘only’ in a room. Being the ‘only’ is incredibly lonely, and I have the personal responsibility to make sure I bring others along for the ride with me.” 

Where might that ride go? Bushra smiles, “I'm the first person on either side of my family to ever be born in the United States. I jokingly say that I would love to be president one day.”