Four years ago, the Freshman Leadership Organization (FLO) was equipped to help first year students familiarize themselves and adjust to campus. This year, Katie Perkins, a junior history major and co-director of FLO, decided to change how the group works.
Differences in FLO consist of helping students understand the professional world around them, providing cornerstones for success, and showing the fun side of WTAMU Student Government. Through their hard work and constant vigilance, FLO is hoping to see an increase in student participation compared to previous years.
“For the fall semester, we are expecting a lot of people,” Perkins said. “We have eighteen dedicated students already on Facebook, and we have another sixty on an e-mail list. We will see a high turnout.”
While sharing a common thread with Student Government, specifically Student Senate, FLO is completely independent and has its own agenda.
“FLO is an organization on campus which acts as a little sister to Student Government,” Perkins said. “But we’re not just Student Government oriented. We want to do some of our own projects, teach some of our own systems, and change little things that can make a big impact.”
“We really want to have a fun time with these students,” Perkins said.
One major problem many organizations face are dues. If too costly, people might not want to join.
“Our dues are only fifteen dollars, and that covers the cost for T-shirts, snacks, drinks, silly bands and other community service based projects,” Perkins said.
In the past, FLO members promoted coherence, unity, and a desire for excellence when seen around campus.
“This year we have an overarching theme,” Perkins said. “Basically we want to help showcase the ease of communicating with the top three officers.”
Workshops help provide students basic building blocks for success. Possible workshops for FLO include public speaking, civic leadership, and stress management.
“During the academic year,” Perkins said, “students will be volunteering at Work-A-Thon and Campus Cleanup, and around midterms, we want to sponsor a coloring contest to help decrease stress.”
Dr. Don Albrecht, Vice President of Student Affairs, has been the advisor for FLO since its start.
“FLO is a very effective organization that allows students to be leaders throughout their community,” Albrecht said. “When we first adopted this program, we wanted to see individuals excel in government. Now we‘re wanting people to excel in all parts of academia.”
Students who are interested in joining FLO do not need to be exceptional students, just willing to learn and get involved.
“I really like being a leader and helping people,” Alexandria Gruhlkey, freshman mass communications major, said. “I want to be a part of FLO so I can keep being an active student transitioning from high school to college.”
FLO will meet at JBK 11, which is downstairs, at 4 p.m. on Sept. 8.
