Sarah Reiss
Student [email protected]
What motivated you to be a leader: Originally I wanted to get more involved. As a student assistant I am more of a leader. My job is less dealing with students and more office work and working with the orientation team.
Best part about your job:I honestly am a morning person and I love getting up early and greeting everyone in the morning.
The hardest part: The times when you occasionally butt heads with someone. But we usually have a mediator and work it out like adults.
What do you say to people who believe orientation leaders are just tour guides: They are a lot more layers than that. They offer insight that no one else has.
The weirdest question you’ve been asked: I was once on a student panel and a parent asked if we could “offer insight about the sex parties on campus.” it was very awkward.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Get involved on campus. I was very shy my freshman year and I only went to class. Now I actually have something to gain from my college experience.
The most important part of your job: Being an advertisement for FAU and leaving a lasting impression on the students.
How this has experience impacted your life: I’ve learned how to compose myself and to speak and communicate well. My leadership skills have changed my perspective on things.
Kevin Loughran
Student AssistantExercise [email protected]
Motivation to be a leader: As an orientation leader, I was voted hardest working. I enjoyed being around students. However, this job is very demanding. Last year, I was putting in 52 hours a week, and that’s not including school.
Best part about your job: As a leader, I loved doing the student to student sessions. I get to interact with them personally. That is the time where we can make an impact on students.
The hardest part: The mornings. You have to be excited and energetic really early. It’s exhausting after 12 hours.
The weirdest question you’ve been asked: I wasn’t asked this, but I was in a session where a presenter asked the audience, ‘Are you still going to wake your kids up for class?’ And half of the audience raised their hands.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: If I didn’t get involved, I wouldn’t have had such a good time. These people are here for me when I need them. Sometimes, you need someone who isn’t your mom or dad to sit in your face and help you out.
Your favorite fact that you have learned about FAU: Learning that there are 1,038 parking spots in the parking garage next to the library.
How you help students: We’re here for them. We’re a resource and they should use us. We’re another student’s perspective of the university.
Chris Lynch
Associate DirectorEducation LeadershipFirst year [email protected]
Best part about your job: Working with all of the students. The orientation team and all the new students are why I do this job.
The hardest part: This is a people-pleasing job and you can’t always please all the people.
How you deal with problems: I take the “work it out yourself” or “suck it up” approach to most team issues and problems.
Your goal for the orientation team: For no one to leave with questions or not knowing anything. I want every student to have a connection with the university.
The most effective session for students: Students rate the Student to Student sessions the highest because they can ask questions about academics and campus life to someone who has already been through it.
Advice for parents: Attend any session where they can ask questions is the most effective.
Ronald Johnson
Coordinator Education LeadershipGraduate [email protected]
How you got involved in the Office of Orientation: It is something I did as an undergrad that I wanted to continue here at FAU.
What do you say to people who believe orientation leaders are just tour guides: They are more than that. They are true ambassadors. They are the first face incoming students see.
Your goal as the coordinator for orientation: To make a more accessible virtual orientation that has audible and visual interaction.
How this job has impacted your life: It has allowed me to communicate ideas without being shy.
Desiree Williams
Office AssistantIntercultural [email protected]
How you got involved in the Office of Orientation: I like being in the office and doing the behind the scenes stuff. I plan to work here till I graduate.
The best part of the job: The flexible hours and working in a very pleasant environment. Everybody is friendly and appreciates each other.
Hardest part: Sometimes people get very feisty and don’t understand and disagree with me.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: I take all the phone calls so I often tell students that they need to be patient when they call in all worried. There are a lot of students and you need to be flexible.
How this job has impacted your life: This has been a way for me to learn that if you do something wrong, it’s okay – you can always ask questions and fix it.
Priscila Jimenez
Social [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I wanted to gain leadership skills. There was a table in the Breezeway that I signed up at.
What you had to give up to be apart of it: A lot of time. I also work aa a Night Owls and I’m a part of the sorority Alpha Nu Omega.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Stay focused and remember what you came to school for. It’s okay to have a good time, but stay on schoolwork.
Fergie Ramos
to join the team: It looked like fun and a chance to help people out with their problems.
Hardest part of the job: It gets frustrating when you try to help students too much. Sometimes there is a student who will ask a lot of questions you don’t know the answers to.
Your favorite fact that you’ve learned about FAU: The history – there were a lot of things I did not know. I was also interested in learning about all of FAU’s programs.
What you will take away from this experience:Learning how to work with a team and grow in a personal sense. It makes you mature a little more.
Bradley Phibbs
The best part about being a leader: We are introducing these kids to the school… we have the power.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Get involved first semester. When I got involved, I felt like I was a part of the university.
Your favorite fact that you’ve learned about FAU: The graduates, Carrot Top went here!
What you will take away from this experience: All the knowledge I’ve gotten about the university is invaluable.The friendships with leaders and students has changed my outlook on going to college.
Patricia Gumbs
Exercise [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: My prior orientation leader – she had a lot of spunk and looked like she had a lot of fun with her job.
The best part about being a leader: Meeting all the other orientation leaders and getting to know all the services that FAU has to offer.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Manager your time and don’t think that you can goof off because it’s your freshman year – it’s an important year.
The most important part of being a leader: Being open-minded and patient and learning new things.
Charles Chatman, Jr.
Motivation to join the team: To help students make the transition from high school to college.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: A lot of freshman classes are huge and if you need help you have to speak to the professor and go to their office hours and ask for help.
Your goal as an orientation leader: I want to become a better leader at each orientation and give out the most information as possible to help students.
What you will take away from this experience: I’ve become a better leader and learned how to communicate better.
Angela Dager
Elementary [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I wanted to help students. At my freshman orientation I knew I wanted to do that and I did.
The best part about being a leader: Getting the opportunity to interact with freshman and help promote FAU and student involvement. I want to help mold the new students.
The hardest part of the job: Being in the sun walking backwards – the sun is always there.
What you had to give up to be apart of the team: Living at home – but it ended up being great. I now had the opportunity to live on campus.
Your goal as an orientation leader: To encourage the students to be more school spirited and to have more pride in our school.
Jennifer Bridie
Public [email protected]
The best part about being a leader: Being able to know that the knowledge I have helps new students. We’re the first thing they see.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Although you’re here for an education, use all the resources that FAU has to offer. Enjoy being a student.
Some say you’re ‘just a tour guide’: We’ve learned a sufficient amount of knowledge of the University that took months of training.
What you will take away from this experience: You see how well you work with other people. Not everyone gets to be in this position. I’ve realized what kind of leader I am.
Myrlande Oge Roger
Motivation to join the team: My orientation leader was my first friend at the school. She told me her experiences here.
Hardest part of the job: Learning how to interact with all different kinds of personalities.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Get involved, it keeps you out of trouble.
Your goal as an orientation leader: I was a shy person before I got involved. This helped me overcome that. I want new-comers to feel welcome and comfortable with the school… it made me feel welcome.
Rodrigio Seer
Computer [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: When I was in orientation my freshman year it really looked like fun.
The best part about being a leader: Being able to give tours and show new student around. This experience is something I won’t get anywhere else.
Some say you’re ‘just a tour guide’: It’s a lot more than that. Not only do we give tours, we answer every student’s questions. We’re more like counselors.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Study; and besides study, get involved around campus.
How this experience has impacted your life: This job gives you a lot of unique experiences and it helps you become a better person.
Jessica Sierra
NursingSophomore [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I remember my orientation last year. I liked the idea of helping incoming freshman.
The best part about being a leader: The dynamics of our team. We don’t clash – we mesh!
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: It’s going to take some getting used to. As long as you stay focused, it will get easier. The first semester is the hardest.
What you will take away from this experience: A lot more responsibility. I’m trying to control my time management.
Amanda Pancho
Motivation to join the team: I was really involved in high school and it was natural for me to do something that had a leadership role.
The best part about being a leader: The friendships I’ve made – we’re all a big family and it’s a really good feeling to know you have that family behind you.
What you had to give up to be part of the team: I had to give up taking chemistry this summer and take my time applying for the nursing program. It was a huge sacrifice but it all worked out in the end.
Your goal as an orientation leader: Make a difference in at least one student’s life and help them to get involved and enjoy FAU.
Janice Barretto
Hospitality & Tourism [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: My roommate my freshman year showed that it wasn’t just work, work, work; they made it interesting also.
The best part about being a leader: For me it’s learning how to work with all types of people and personalities. People that you would normally pass by are now people I call friends off the clock.
What did you have to give up to be apart of it: I gave up sleeping in and sleep in general but I gained so much more. Your goal as an orientation leader: To ease the students’ worries. I want to show we have a great school.
Amanda Salmeron
Pre Med & [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I wanted to improve my communication skills and also get more involved in campus.
Hardest part of the job: Waking up at 6:30 in the morning and dealing with the responsibilities and stress. But in the end it’s still fun.
Some say you’re ‘just a tour guide’: It’s more than being a tour guide – it’s not just knowing the information about the buildings, it’s about the information for the whole school.
One piece of advice you give to incoming freshman: Get involved because that’s how you make friends. Keep your GPA high – if you start off low, it’s hard to bring it back up.
Traci Cox
Social [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I liked the idea of being the face of the school.
The best part about being a leader: Making a lot of friends with other orientation leaders and new students.
The hardest part of the job: I don’t think it’s hard because it’s something I want to do.
One piece of advice to all incoming freshman: Nobody is going to wake you up in the morning.
The most important part about the job: To be honest with students. It’s going beyond the facts. ‘This happened, I was there.’
Jamar Germain
The best part about being a leader: We’re close-knit; another family.
Some say you’re ‘just a tour guide’: We’re the university’s frontline defense. We get to educate them the best that we can.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Be headstrong. Trust the adults that say it will all pay off in the end.
Your goal as an orientation leader: To motivate students the way I was motivated.
Your favorite fact that you’ve learned about FAU: That we are the most diverse school in the state.
Stephan Mack
Civil [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: My previous orientation leader because he was cool and down to earth. I wanted to share that experience.
The best part about being a leader: The teamwork and working together with others.
Hardest part of the job: When people talk over each other and try to get their opinion out during group discussions.
The most important part of being a leader: Being a dependable person and knowing what’s happening ahead of time.
What you will take away from this experience: I feel like I’m taking a lot of responsibility and becoming independent, preparing me for life outside of college.
Shanice Rowland
Motivation to join the team: My orientation leader motivated me. It’s also a good way to meet people.
The best part about being a leader: I like that we are the first people that students and parents see of the university.
Hardest part of the job: The hours. We don’t work a lot, but when we do, it’s long.
The most common question that students ask: Where’s the party?
Your goal as an Orientation Leader: To influence as many freshman that I come in contact with.
Thomas Santiago
Computer [email protected]
The best part about being a leader: The people – both incoming students and other orientation leaders. I’m very fortunate to have such an awesome group of people that get along.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: You are the future. You determine what direction FAU goes in.
What you will take away from this experience: I hope it gives me more patience and more confidence in myself as a leader. I’m always reluctant to take a position as a leader, even though I know I can be one.
Sophia Lazarre
Political [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: I believe in giving back to the schools you go to. I want to give something back to FAU.
Hardest part of the job: The schedule and not knowing what can happen next.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Don’t give up. Difficult things will come but don’t ever give up.
Your goal as an orientation leader: To contribute something to the university while helping others.
How this experience has impacted your life: It has opened more opportunities here on campus.
Holly Letendre
Psychology & [email protected]
Motivation to join the team: The orientation leaders had an impact on what the school represented.
The best part about being a leader: The overall experience of orientation. I get to leave an impact on students.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Try to set yourself aside from conformity.
Your goal as an orientation leader: Just because we’re not a huge state school, doesn’t mean we’re not fantastic.
How this experience has impacted your life: It has given me personal structure. They have helped me realize my true potential.
Rachel Carvajal
The best part about being a leader: The memories you form and the people you meet.
Hardest part of the job: The stress of giving someone the wrong information.
One piece of advice to incoming freshman: Don’t procrastinate – work hard.
Your goal as an orientation leader: To make someone’s educational experience better.
Some say you’re ‘just a tour guide’: We’re not just tour guides, we’re leaders.
Your favorite fact that you’ve learned about FAU: The enthusiasm that people have about their departments.
Muriel Bryan
The best part about being a leader: You get to meet a lot of new people and learn a lot more about FAU.
Hardest part of the job: Making it to every meeting on time and keeping up with the schedule. Balancing school and work is difficult.
Your goal as an orientation leader: I want every student to get a positive feeling about FAU.
What you will take away from this experience: The friends I’ve made and the whole experience. I’m open to more things now.
