Founded in fall 2021, Freshman Aggie Ladies Leading, or FALL, gives freshman girls a chance to surround themselves with other empowering women.
The first all-women freshman leadership organization, or FLO, strives to prepare freshmen women for the rest of college and the world beyond through empowerment, service, leadership and community.
Education senior Carolina Govea and public health senior Katherine Bromme were inspired to create FALL because of the number of women who don’t get into FLOs each year.
“Something we noticed is that more women apply for FLOs than men,” Govea said. “A lot of FLOs have a 50-50 quota of half guys and half girls. A disproportionate number of women interested in strengthening their leadership skills don’t receive the opportunity. We wanted to combat this through FALL and give as many first-year students as possible a chance to develop their leadership skills and learn what great leadership looks like.”
In addition to typical general meetings and committee meetings, FALL hosts leadership retreats, a semi-formal, a spring carnival and more. Freshmen members get to lead and plan each event. Bromme said she reflects fondly on the leadership growth she saw in the FLO, as well as the collection of moments that made the year special to her.
“All of our social events and service events were planned entirely by freshmen,” Bromme said. “The thing that impacted me the most was seeing them grow as individuals. For example, someone who came into the organization dead quiet would give an update at a meeting with newfound confidence in her voice. At our spring carnival, girls pointed, saying ‘You do this, and you do that,’ — taking initiative. We saw the growth opportunity coming into this organization. They showed they had benefitted and gained something from it.”
Ecology and conservation biology junior Rubie Shinedling has accepted the role of director for FALL’s incoming Class of 2026. Shinedling said she wished she had something like FALL her freshman year.
“Last year was awesome,” Shinedling said. “The freshmen dived into this brand new organization and got the most they could out of it. I felt inspired seeing all these girls who are all so unique and special come together and form uplifting relationships.”
In their first year, the organization inducted 50 freshman girls and arranged them into five matriarchies, small group families led by two to three women. FALL is adding a sixth matriarchy starting in the fall of 2022. Shinedling said she looks forward to serving a second year with high energy and a positive attitude.
“I want to replicate the same environment of friendship and respect as last year,” Shinedling said. “We will always provide members a safe space to find themselves, grow as college students, and be their most authentic selves. I want everyone in FALL to look back on their freshman year with fondness and be glad that they did it.”
For more information about FALL visit their Instagram, @tamu.fall, and their website.
