ICUF Presidential Fellows Program

ICUF Program Contact:
Madeline Hollon
Phone: (850) 681-3188
Cell Phone: (850) 294-4102
Email: mhollon@icuf.org

Presidential Fellows Program

Several years ago, ICUF shifted grassroots efforts to focus more on student involvement and direct contact between students and legislators.  We have learned that students advocating on behalf of the student body creates more impact with government officials, that it puts a “face” on an issue and makes that issue much harder to ignore.  That is why we created the ICUF Presidential Fellows Program.   

 Purpose

The purpose of the ICUF Presidential Fellows Program is to organize student-led campaigns in support of independent higher education in general and the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) in particular.  Students who actively engage with the state government are good for the state, their communities and independent higher education.  The Presidential Fellows Program will train and engage campus leaders during the academic year to boost ICUF’s impact in Tallahassee.

 Background

Several years ago, student leaders from Flagler College, Stetson University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and other institutions worked together to get students active in Tallahassee.  Five years ago, the Presidential Fellows Program was formally created to build on this grassroots effort.  The first year of the program, twelve students were trained and followed the Legislative Session.  They organized campus efforts to support the FRAG through letter writing campaigns and became a part of the ICUF team as we worked to secure an additional $14 million for ICUF students that year.

In subsequent years, ICUF Fellows have built a legacy of energizing students, parents and alumni to be actively involved in their government’s decisions.  These efforts resulted in steady community and legislative support for independent higher education and the Florida Resident Access Grant.  The ICUF Presidential Fellows Program has become an important part of the ICUF lobbying strategy.

 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

 Student Eligibility:  The president of each participating institution is asked to identify and nominate two mature student leaders who have the time, talents and interest in serving as ICUF Presidential Fellows.  These students must be willing and able to organize campus grassroots campaigns in coordination with campus mentors appointed by the university president and with ICUF staff in Tallahassee. 

Eligible students must be full-time students at an ICUF institution at the Senior, Junior or Sophomore level who will be on campus for the entire academic year.  In addition, eligible students must be Florida residents who receive the FRAG.

Presidential Fellows must be able to commit the time necessary to develop and implement an effective campus grassroots campaign.  This will include travel to one regional orientation and training session.  Two regional orientation sessions will be held so that overnight travel will not be required. In addition, selected students will travel to Tallahassee to attend a “day on the hill” visit to the Capitol in the spring.

Campus Mentors:   Active campus mentors are vital to the effectiveness of the Fellows Program.  Each Presidential Fellow must have a Mentor selected by the institution’s president or his or her designee to work side-by-side with the Fellow and ICUF staff to make sure there is smooth and frequent communication and to oversee and support approved student program activities. Mentors will help students with campus projects by providing guidance and oversight and by helping the students obtain necessary resources. Mentors should keep the institution’s president (and other senior staff if designated by the president) apprised of program activities and needs and should receive support and assistance from appropriate sources on campus as directed by the university president.  Mentors should be able to attend a regional orientation/training session. The session will not require overnight travel.

ICUF student grassroots advocates have worked hard to ensure that students at independent colleges and universities have a voice in Tallahassee by assisting the ICUF lobbying efforts throughout the previous eight academic years.  The impact of “real students with real experiences” is even more important each year as our state faces continuing economic uncertainty.