Leadership Programs

How to Apply:

Fill out the online application in the student portal.
Applications are due by January 10. Strong applications will include information on past leadership experiences, how you hope to continue to develop as a leader at Creighton and how you will use your gifts/talents to further the FLP mission.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I know if I’ve been accepted?
Application status letters will be sent out by March 1.

How many people are accepted into the program every year? 
60 students, 30 male and 30 female, are accepted each year.

Is it possible to stay involved in FLP after my freshman year?
Absolutely! Upperclassmen serve as mentors, executives and a student coordinator for the program.

What are some of the benefits of being in the program? 
FLP is a great way to be part of a community as soon as you get to school. It provides great leadership resources and challenges you to use your leadership to do service for and with others. The program also helps you build connections with student leaders on campus. Many FLPers go on to hold leadership positions in student and community organizations.

Can I be in FLP and the Honors Program?
Unfortunately, you cannot be in both programs your freshman year. However, if you participate in FLP your freshman year, you can apply for the Honors Program your sophomore year.

Does it cost more to be in FLP?
No. Being in FLP has no additional charges.

What is the time commitment of FLP?
Every Tuesday night from 7:30-9 p.m., students attend a leadership seminar with a guest speaker from the campus or Omaha community, or a workshop focused on building leadership skills. (FLP students must not sign up for classes on Tuesday nights.)  Students also participate in weekly service with their mentor groups. The day assigned is dependent on students’ schedules. Students are also pre-enrolled in a course that fits into the Magis Core. Finally, FLP students participate in one weekend service event each month and one social event each month.

Can I be involved in other activities on campus and FLP?
Absolutely. FLP is a great stepping stone to get involved. FLP helps to establish connections throughout the Creighton and Omaha communities.

If you have additional questions, please contact Katie Kelsey.

The purpose of FLP’s Community Activism is to empower freshmen to become agents of change by exploring the process of social change. It begins with time to research, learn and look for needs in the surrounding communities they’re passionate about addressing. Then, as leaders, the students develop a plan to work to improve the issue or need, which often involves bringing people together to accomplish the goal of affecting a need in the community. After the freshmen year, students often have the desire to continue their involvement with the cause and continue to make an impact.

Last year, FLP raised over $5,500 for Precious Memories Daycare through a Thanksgiving Dinner fundraiser. FLP also donated 1,000 books and 60 blankets through its Spring Community Activism Project.

Community is one of the most important aspects of the Freshman Leadership Program. Sixty freshmen bring their experiences, energy and passion and live together on the same floor. Each semester, community-building activities are offered through the program. These provide fun and challenging opportunities for the freshmen to leave campus and get to know each other and themselves even better.

Examples of fun and challenging opportunities:

• Ropes Course: An all-day activity, freshmen spend the morning focusing on team-building activities, supporting each other and working together toward a common goal. The afternoon is spent on a high ropes course, where new-found team-working skills are put to good use. 
• Retreat in Griswold, Iowa: A weekend event designed to give freshmen a chance to relax, reflect and have tons of fun! 
• Holiday Celebrations: Birthdays, Thanksgiving and winter holidays all receive grand attention – whether it’s cupcakes on the floor, a potluck dinner, or a gift exchange. 

The mentor component of the Freshman Leadership Program sets it apart from other groups on campus. Each freshman is placed into a mentor group, consisting of five other freshmen and two FLP graduates, which provide the opportunity to interact with a smaller group and form deeper relationships with one another.

After listening to speakers with the larger group, freshmen participate in reflection activities facilitated by their mentors. Mentor groups also participate in individual social activities, such as group dinners or outings off-campus. Many freshmen feel they find their “family away from home” when they establish a relationship with their groups. The bonds formed often continue even after freshman year. 

A unique part of the Freshman Leadership Program is that all members take part in a year-long reflective portfolio project.

The portfolio project allows students to reflect on what they’ve accomplished, learned and experienced while in the program. This year, the portfolio includes a written blog and a collaborative, reflective mentor group video.

The portfolio project covers the following topics:

• Mission statement development
• Jesuit values
• Experiences in FLP
• Reflections on leadership styles
• Reflections on the FLP course
• Reflections on service and community activism
• Future leadership plans

Each Tuesday, the members, mentors and execs of the Freshman Leadership Program gather for a weekly seminar. These seminars are designed to help the members of the program explore the different aspects of leadership and develop their own leadership style in their community. 

Each month, the FLP Seminar focuses on a different style of leadership. This year’s seminars focused on:

• Ethical leadership 
• Followership 
• Heroic leadership 
• Integrity leadership 
• Servant leadership 
• Visionary and transformational leadership 
• Strengths

Service is an integral part of the Freshman Leadership Program. All students, mentors and executives attend weekly service to eight different service sites. The service organizations are located throughout Omaha to allow students to experience community outside of campus. Service sites include:

• Precious Memories Daycare
• The Hope Center for Kids
• Jesuit Academy
• Completely Kids
• Kids Can!
• Boys and Girls Club
• Siena/Francis House