Majors: Political science, global studies
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Ishani was still getting her bearings at Nebraska when she applied to join UNL Freshman Campus Leadership Associates (FCLA). She knew she wanted to grow as a leader — both personally and on campus — but felt she was still looking for “her people.”
In FCLA, Ishani quickly realized that making new friends and fostering lifelong relationships are powerful avenues to becoming a leader.
“It’s always better to work with people you like and want to be around,” says Ishani. “I haven't always thought of it this way, but FCLA has taught me that getting to know your peers and making that extra effort to bond with them is a very important part of leadership.”
FCLA (Freshmen Campus Leadership Association) helps first-year students like Ishani who are interested in campus leadership positions (particularly with Association of Students of the University of Nebraska (ASUN)) connect with like-minded students, learn more about student government and engage in acts of service.
“A lot of the work we do together is volunteer work in the community. We also host our own philanthropy event in the spring that we plan all together. It's really nice to be surrounded by people who have big goals and want to do better because it encourages you to do the same.”
For Ishani, FLCA has served as a consistent space for support during the whirlwind of her first semester of college. She encourages all first-year students to seek any sort of involvement to find that same support system.
“College isn't so easy, especially when you're a freshman and you're just learning the ropes of everything. It's really important to have a group of people that you can rely on and go to we're also going through the same things.”
This, Ishani says, is where the importance of campus involvement comes in — anything that gets you connecting with fellow Huskers is worth doing.
"This is why, I think, it's so important to just get involved with something: you’re having your voice heard and finding people who are supportive and see your perspective, and that’s a very rewarding feeling.”
