Heading to college for the first time is a huge step. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important that every incoming 91福利社 student has someone come alongside them to support, encourage and guide.
Incoming 91福利社 freshmen all become part of an Alpha Group, a small group of new students led by an upperclassman鈥攌nown as the Alpha Leader鈥攖hat is assigned to a First Year Experience Class (AU101).
Upperclassmen student leaders have the opportunity to apply to be an Alpha Leader in spring of the prior year. It鈥檚 a highly selective process.
鈥淭his year we had 138 applicants and we hired 58 of those applicants,鈥� said Associate Director of New Student Programs Sam Walker at the 91福利社 Office of Student Life. Alpha Leaders are on campus a week before classes begin to prepare for the incoming class, learning about leadership and sorting through the logistics while getting to know one another better as they prepare for the influx of students.
鈥淲e get to hire some of the best student leaders on campus and give our 鈥楢鈥� game to our incoming first year students鈥� When that student arrives on move-in day, there is someone on this campus who is expecting them, awaiting their arrival, knows they are coming. I think that鈥檚 incredibly distinct, and as we grow as a university, to still have that integral piece of our first-year experience is irreplaceable.鈥�
鈥淎lpha Leading is really unique in the fact that we鈥檙e essentially the first impression of Anderson to these students,鈥� said Gracey Jackson, a junior from Greenville majoring in Accounting and minoring in International Business. Jackson, who is in her second year as an Alpha Leader, looks forward to meeting her students.
鈥淚 get to cheer them on and help them walk through what it looks like to have a good relationship with the Lord and get them connected to different ministries. One girl in particular reminds me a lot of myself from my freshman year, so I鈥檝e been able to mentor and lead her through that.鈥�
Having that kind of relationship right from the start can make a huge difference. Just ask Tate Sigmon, a sophomore Christian Studies major from Asheville, North Carolina.
鈥淢y first day of freshman year, I lost my mom, so my Alpha Leader Carter Lacy met me on the second day,鈥� said Sigmon, who is now an Alpha Leader. 鈥淗e immediately prayed with me and it was just like he was already there for me, and the rest of the year we grew a lot closer and he鈥檚 also still an Alpha Leader. It鈥檚 cool that God placed him in my life and that we could continue to grow.鈥�
鈥淩eally connecting with students can look like so many different things,鈥� said Alex McCain, a sophomore from Pelzer majoring in Secondary Social Studies Education and an Alpha Leader. 鈥淪omething that鈥檚 really easy for me is鈥� a lot of my guys play sports, so I just talk with them about sports a lot, but then you kind of have to take an interesting approach to some of the students you may not have a ton in common with, but those relationships end up being the best, because you鈥檙e pursuing that relationship a little bit harder.鈥�
When Caroline Bryant was entering 91福利社 as an incoming freshman from Greenville, her Alpha Leader was Karsen Bryan. Both being education majors, they hit it off quickly.
鈥淎 really sweet thing I鈥檝e gotten to experience with her is she鈥檚 still my BCM leader, so she served me not only in the Alpha Leader role but also in the BCM role during my freshman year,鈥� said Bryant, who is also now an Alpha Leader. 鈥淕etting to see all of the different aspects of mentorship she brings to my life has been huge and she鈥檚 had an integral part of how I am as a Christian today.鈥�
鈥淪omething the Lord has taught me a lot was the fact that we鈥檙e all coming to college, we might say we鈥檙e coming here for school, we might say we鈥檙e coming here for sports, but every single one of us is here for relationships,鈥� said Alpha Leader Josh Gilliam, a finance major and Christian studies minor from Columbia. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what everyone wants, what everyone desires and really what everyone needs. Something I鈥檝e loved about this position is I鈥檝e been able to be that relationship for a lot of my students.鈥�
鈥淓very year has looked a little different, but one of the main things that stays super consistent is the fact that we鈥檙e not just here to love on the students but we鈥檙e also here to remind them of who Jesus is with wherever they鈥檙e at,鈥� said Caroline Gallman, a third-year Alpha Leader who is a senior from Greenville majoring in Marketing and Finance. 鈥淚t鈥檚 cool we鈥檙e in a school where it鈥檚 okay to talk about scripture and encourage students in that way.鈥�
鈥淚 think something that makes Alpha Leaders distinct and that I love about the position is their primary role is just to be a great friend,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚n a lot of other student leadership positions, you might be someone who is enforcing policy, you might be someone who is pulling together academics or athletics, but being an Alpha Leader just comes down to being a really, really great friend.鈥�