President of the Seminole Student Boosters
Writer, Graphics: Savannah T. / Chapter Submitted Photos
Through her involvement both inside and outside of her chapter, Riley R. has earned the admiration of her sisters in Kappa Alpha Theta. In the past, she has served on the Theta Executive Board as Chief Financial Officer and on the Governing Board of the Seminoles Student Boosters as Vice Presidents of Events. She is currently the President of the Seminole Student Boosters.
“Riley has been involved in both Student Boosters and Theta since her freshman year. She is a great example of how to balance your commitment to different organizations and how to wonderfully manage time. She is looked up to by our chapter as a woman who can really do it all and accomplish anything she puts her mind to with such grace. She exemplifies what it means to be a Theta through her dedication to everything that she does, and we are so proud to see her achieve such great things while advocating for Florida State Athletics and representing Theta all at once!” says a representative.
We had the opportunity to sit down with her to discuss her involvement in both organizations and gain insight into how she manages to balance her collegiate life with her leadership positions.
How did you first get involved in the Seminole Student Boosters?
Riley R (RR): When I joined Kappa Alpha Theta during my freshman year, a few of the older members were involved in Seminole Student Boosters. I was encouraged to apply by my G-big, Ansley St. John.
What made you interested in the Seminoles Student Boosters?
RR: Since a lot of my family members are FSU Alumni, I grew up wearing garnet and gold. My parents and I traveled to Tallahassee frequently to cheer on the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium. I knew I wanted to get involved on campus in order to make the best of my 4 years at FSU. Seminole Student Boosters was a great opportunity for me to introduce myself to a diverse group of students that also shared a passion to support FSU Athletics.
What do you do with Seminole Student Boosters?
RR: Seminole Student Boosters is one of the three direct support organizations on campus. Our mission is to ignite the Seminole Spirit amongst Florida State students by enhancing the culture of unity and loyalty between the student body and athletics in order to create a continuous cycle of giving as Alumni. We raise money for athletic scholarships through membership packet sales and our annual T.R.U.E campaign. Additionally, we host multiple events per semester. Our biggest event is the annual Golden Gala which is held in the Spring semester.
Last year, you served as the Governing Board as Vice President of Events for Boosters and Chief Financial Officer for Theta. Can you discuss both of those individual experiences and what you personally gained from those experiences?
RR: Since the VP of Events position was new when I accepted it, I took it upon myself to establish the expectations this role would have going forward. During my term, I planned a Champion’s forum event, our Annual Golden Gala, and an open Basketball practice event. As Chief Financial Officer, I paid for all of the house expenses, programming expenses, and was responsible for billing and collections. I also served as the main liaison between our housing corporation members, advisors, and parents. During my time as CFO, I managed our budget and helped convert our billing system with our housing corporation. The main things that I learned from these roles was the importance of delegation, transparent communication, and teamwork. These roles challenged me to push myself every day which helped me grow as an individual and leader.
How were you able to balance those positions and be a full-time student?
RR: I definitely put my work-life balance to the test when I simultaneously accepted the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Events. I was equally committed to doing my best in each position and I did have to sacrifice a lot of my time in order to get the jobs done. However, I eventually learned to prioritize my to-do list and to actually schedule time in for myself. This time was reserved for studying, relaxing, and my social life. In addition, I started my days early, with a coffee, and in the library. This helped me achieve a balance so that I did not get burned out too quickly. I strengthened my time management skills during this time and learned that I am actually more productive with a busy schedule!
How did the experience of those two positions prepare you for your current role as Seminole Student Boosters President?
RR: Serving in both of those positions forced me to step out of my comfort zone. I had never planned an event to that extent before. I also had never had to hold my peers responsible for paying dues. Although the titles of these roles were job-specific, I did not limit myself to my positions. My favorite part about holding these high-level positions was that I was able to contribute to the conversations of the entire executive team. I enjoyed problem-solving and brainstorming ways to make our organization better. Most importantly, I recognized how much I enjoyed being a part of a team. By contributing to more than just what my job required, I learned about all of the functions of the organization and was able to envision how I could take the organization to the next level.
What inspired you to apply for President?
RR: When I went home after my freshman year of college, everyone asked me about my favorite experience at FSU. I subconsciously realized how excited I was to talk about being a part of Seminole Student Boosters and began to realize where my passion lied. I worked extremely hard when I came back that next fall because I knew this was an organization that I was dedicated to. After my experience on the Governing Board, I learned about the operations of the board. I began recognizing where I could apply my strengths to continue the growth of the organization. I was inspired to run for President because I knew I surrounded myself with the right people when I entered that boardroom. These people challenge me, they are my teammates, they are my friends and they have made me who I am today.
Can you give me a description of your role as President of Seminole Student Boosters?
RR: I lead a board of thirty fellow students that share a common goal to engage the student body with FSU athletics. I communicate and delegate to board members in order to keep up our marketing, outreach, and recruiting efforts for the membership base of 4,000 students. I also serve as the student liaison on the Seminole Booster Board.
What have you accomplished while being President?
RR: In the Spring semester, the Governing Board and I conducted interviews to fill the executive board and leadership council positions on the board. We also hosted our Spring Champion’s Forum event at the Champions Club. Our guest speaker was Chuck Adcock, CEO of FSU Credit Union. Unfortunately, our time was cut short due to COVID-19. I am looking forward to resuming in the Fall semester to continue our recruitment process and spread awareness for our TRUE campaign.
What is the biggest challenge of being President? What is the biggest reward?
RR: [The biggest challenge was] rescheduling around COVID- 19 and keeping up the morale of my team. [The biggest reward was] seeing the growth of the board and setting it up to be successful in the future.
How have your sisters in Theta supported you during your time as President?
RR: They have supported me by attending SSB events. They have stayed up to help me practice for my presentations and they are always encouraging to push me to be my best.
Where do you see the future of Seminole Student Boosters?
RR: Seminole Student Boosters is a unique organization that has a specific role to support athletics. I see an opportunity for our organization to continue expanding our membership benefits in the future. I have no doubt that SSB will stay true to its mission and further develop the cycle of giving between students, athletes, and alumni.