Dozens of freshmen know Brianna Reyes as a peer mentor in the Freshman Leadership Institute (FLI). This is just one of the many clubs and organizations Reyes is a part of at UMB.
As creator of the FLI, Sherrod Williams has worked closely with Reyes in FLI since its inception in fall 2010. When describing Reyes, Williams said, “Leadership is something that is in Brianna’s nature.”
Williams continued, “As soon as she got started, Brianna did not waste one minute. She created a wonderful connection with her peer mentor Joanne Guillet, and got involved on campus right away. Her need and desire to help those around her is something obvious to everyone.”
FLI is a program designed to help freshmen feel comfortable in the university, encourage freshmen engagement in the community, and help them develop their leadership skills. Williams created the program with the help of Megan Sweeny, former graduate assistant of Student Activities.
According to Williams, “It has become apparent that every year there are a greater number of freshmen that are looking for ways to get involved. Therefore, we needed to develop something that targeted that particular freshman population.”
FLI connects freshmen (mentees), with upperclassmen (mentors), to discuss the “Leadership Challenge.”
The Leadership Challenge refers to the different obstacles a leader may face when trying to accomplish a goal. These issues range from fighting racism to raising awareness on a particular issue. Dealing with these issues head on helps students to develop their leadership skills.
Reyes, an archeology major with a minor in classical languages, is no stranger to FLI given that last year she was one of FLI’s student mentees. Since becoming a peer mentor, the most rewarding aspect of her experience has been the leadership sessions.
“The sessions are a lot of fun because the mentors lead them in their own way,” Reyes said. “The mentees really enjoy them and look forward to them, something that was not always the case last year. This year, the program provides more of hands on experience, allowing the mentees to gain a better understanding of what it means to be a leader.”
A year after her experience as a mentee, Reyes returned to FLI as a peer mentor because she “saw what the program could be.” Reyes wanted to take part in helping restructure FLI so that students could get the same experience as she did. Brianna affirmed, “As soon as I became a peer mentor, I made my priority to be as supportive as Joanne was to me.”
When asked what it was like to be an FLI mentee, Reyes responded with a big smile on her face and said, “It was what got me into everything! My mentor Joanne was pretty much phenomenal. She supported me every step of the way. My favorite part of FLI last year was the retreat since it allowed me to meet a lot of people on campus.
Reyes is involved in multiple clubs on campus. She is part of Beacon Voyages for Service, she is in the anthropology club, and the Honors Program. Reyes is also the president of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, Moral Chair for the Dance Marathon, a Beacon Ambassador, and an orientation leader.
Those who know Reyes always want to know how she manages her time. “I just do it!” she said. “I really have a passion for what I do and the people that I work with. Therefore, it is not something that I have to do it, but rather something that I enjoy doing. I make sure to write absolutely everything down, and plan time to relax.”
Her advice to all her mentees is, “Try to think what time of the day is when they are most productive, and give that time for school work. It is very easy to find time for what you like to do rather than what you need to do.”
