Inspired by her job in the Student Leadership & Development office, Alexandra Fordham got involved with ASLMU, Greek Life and the Igantian Leadership Institute — opportunities that have prepared her to be an educator like her mother.
Alex, a senior communication studies major from San Jose, started behind a desk in the Student Leadership & Development office, but in her years at LMU has served as the director of athletic events for ASLMU, participated in the Ignatian Leadership Institute courses and was a founding member of Alpha Chi Omega. She also played women’s club soccer and was a member of the El Espejo service organization, which educate and mentors inner-city youth from the Latin community. After she graduates on Saturday, Alexandra will move to Barcelona, Spain, to teach English.
As part of the ‘10 for 15‘ series, freshman Nathalie Rubin asked 10 questions to 10 seniors from the Class of 2015 who were involved in Student Affairs. Here’s what Amber had to say about her experiences in Student Leadership, ASLMU, and Greek Life on campus.
Why did you choose to come to Loyola Marymount University?
I think I was destined to come here. Both of my parents went to LMU as did one of my aunts. I wanted a smaller school with a hands-on educational approach, where I would be a person and my professors would know my name, instead of being a number at a larger college.
How did you become involved in student leadership?
In October of my freshman year, I started working in the Student Leadership & Development office. I was exposed to many different kinds of leadership opportunities, like ASLMU and the Igantian Leadership Institute. It was all a little overwhelming as a wide-eyed freshman, but as I began to get more comfortable on campus, the more I became involved and active in the opportunities presented to me.
What student leadership opportunities have you been involved in and how have they affected your experience at LMU?
I am a student supervisor in my on-campus job in Student Leadership & Development, have acted as the marketing and social chair of Women’s Club Soccer, and served as the ASLMU Director of Athletic Events. Each position has contributed to my love of LMU. In Student Leadership & Development, we are a close knit group in the office, and over the course of four years, I have become very close with the professional staff members as well. I have played soccer my entire life and there is nothing like being a part of a team. I loved helping create opportunities for our new members to bond and creating fun experiences for us off the field. ASLMU has been the highlight of my LMU experience. This year’s team was truly an amazing group of individuals, and our team would not have worked without the help of our fantastic advisors. We put in hard work, endless hours, and lots of blood, sweat and tears to make dozens of great events for the LMU student body. I would not change this experience for the world. Not only did we work well together on the professional level, we all became a family and these people have become my closest friends.
What are your favorite memories from ASLMU and Greek Life?
There are too many favorite memories from ASLMU this year. I loved our retreat in May. No one really knew each other yet and I do not think any of us thought we were going to accomplish everything we did this year. We did several bonding activities, where we learned about one another through laughter, competition, and team building. We were twenty-odd acquaintances united with one common purpose: to make a difference. Although each member of the team is unique, we came together on that retreat and began what I would say was one of the best ASLMU years we have had in a long time.
My experience in Greek Life has been only a short ninety days, but it has had its fair share of memories. Being a founding member of a chapter was an opportunity I could not pass up. My dad was a founding member of the LMU Sigma Pi chapter in the 80’s. He always talked about the brotherhood and lifelong friendships and how those experiences shaped his life at LMU. I never knew what he meant until I joined Alpha Chi Omega. These women are trailblazers and will help contribute to changing the way LMU’s Greek community is. Bid day is my fondest memory. We ran across campus to Lawton Plaza and were welcomed by members from every Greek organization on campus. I saw many familiar faces in the crowd of girls I now call sisters, and I cannot wait to see what these amazing women do together.
Who in Student Leadership & Development has inspired you?
All of the staff in SLD have inspired me in one way or another. Alex, Andrea, Jason and Charlie are some of the most genuinely amazing people I have come across in my life and I am glad to have had them as mentors in my time here. Out of the staff, Jennifer Mercado definitely is my biggest inspiration. Over the four years I have been at LMU, Jenn has always been a friend and confidant for me. She always has a smile on her face every morning, ready to take on the day. Jenn is fearless and always trying something new. She manages to balance work, graduate school, family, friends and everything else flawlessly and I am blessed to have someone like her in my life.
What is an important lesson you have learned from being involved in student leadership?
One of the most important lessons I have learned from being involved in student leadership is how to delegate and share responsibility. In my Ignatian Leadership classes as well as my experiences in SLD and ASLMU, I have learned to relinquish control and to let others help me with my projects so we can complete them together. I can teach people how to do things and help them learn as well.
What is something most people don’t know about ASLMU that you’d like them to know?
ASLMU does so much more than organize concerts and give out lots of free t-shirts. ASLMU is made up of many passionate individuals who are working tirelessly to change LMU’s campus every day. This year, one of our senators created a Bike Share program to allow students to rent bikes and use both on and off campus. Another senator worked towards creating specific smoking zones on campus and lessening the amount of plastic water bottles on campus. Our Chair of University Affairs created the first ever Title IX week dedicated to bringing awareness and developing discussions about the rights for all people under the law. ASLMU does great things on this campus and I wish people knew more about all of the social change we have been working towards this year.
What are your plans after you graduate and how do you think your experiences in student leadership will benefit you moving forward?
After graduation, I will be going to Barcelona to teach English for a year and will travel across Europe during that time. Teaching and education are two things I have always been passionate about. My mother is an educator, both as an elementary school teacher and a professor at Santa Clara University. She is changing the world one student at a time. I am excited to follow in her footsteps. I additionally have always wanted to travel and this experience seemed like the best way to both. I am excited to get out of my bubble and explore the world.
What advice do you have for current and future LMU students?
My biggest piece of advice to current and future LMU students would be to try anything you have an interest in! “Just do it” became my motto. You can try anything once and it might become your niche at LMU. As a freshman, I struggled to find my place at LMU and seriously considered transferring. Thanks to my parents and the amazing people in SLD — like Alex Froehlich, Andrea Niemi and Jason Joyce — I stayed at LMU and have been able to make this place my home.
When thinking about being the Director of Athletic Events for ASLMU last year, I was incredibly nervous that I would not get the position and almost chose not to apply. I decided why not me: most of my close friends and roommates were athletes and I loved LMU Athletics. The rest is history. Like I said before, ASLMU has been the best experience of my time at LMU.
What will you miss the most about Loyola Marymount University?
For the past four years of my life, these people, this campus and this community has become my home. I had a friend say his home is 1 LMU Drive and that could not be a more true statement. I have spent countless hours brainstorming for After Sunset, playing World Cup with my club soccer teammates, and cheering on our LMU sports teams. I have met my best friends, my mentors, and my bridesmaids at LMU. LMU, its people and its myriad experiences and opportunities have provided me with a platform to take on the world, but a part of my heart will always remain here.
By Nathalie Rubin