Living-Learning Communities

Be a leader in the Creighton community.

To integrate students’ experiences in the residence halls with their academic endeavors, we offer living-learning communities. Each community has its own application criteria. Students who are part of a living-learning community will be notified individually.

Explore Creighton’s living-learning communities.

Freshman Leadership Program

Freshman Leadership Program (FLP) is a nationally recognized living and learning community. Accepting 64 first-year students, FLP provides opportunities for students to develop their own leadership styles. The members of the program are given sophomore mentors with whom they attend weekly seminars and service projects to explore the pillars of leadership. The members of the program also work on two major community activism projects, attend a ropes course and retreat, and complete a portfolio project.

Mission

The Freshman Leadership Program strives to cultivate leadership and self-development through a living-learning community. Freshmen are empowered through their community to become ethical citizen-scholars through engagement in community service, leadership seminars, peer mentoring and academic coursework. These experiential activities enable the individual members to become leaders for and with others.

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Two students working at laptop
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Students gathered outdoors

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives are based on the three pillars of FLP:

  • Community: Freshmen completing FLP will develop a sense of community and foster relationships.
  • Development: Freshmen completing FLP will be able to demonstrate a mastery of leadership concepts and theories.
  • Character: Freshman completing FLP will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the Jesuit mission and philosophy as it relates to their daily lives.

How to Apply

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.

Freshman Leadership Program Details

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?  

  • 64 students 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 (one hour per week). The day assigned is dependent on students’ schedules. Students are also pre-enrolled in LDR 220-Ignatian Leadership: Ethics and Reflection.

    Students majoring in nursing are not currently required to take LDR 220 due to schedule constraint, but can still be a part of FLP. 

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 Haley Rusk.

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.

Over the years, FLP has raised awareness and given back to various of our Omaha community members, including Completely Kids, Precious Memories Daycare, Scatter Joy Acres and countless others. We also partner with on-campus organizations including Creighton Dance Marathon. 

Community is one of the most important aspects of the Freshman Leadership Program. 64 freshmen bring their experiences, energy and passion 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: We love to acknowledge special holidays throughout the year that the freshmen may celebrate on the floor.

The mentor component of the Freshman Leadership Program sets it apart from other groups on campus. Each freshman is placed into a mentor group with two sophomore FLP graduates. This method provides the opportunity for smaller group interactions within the program to build long-lasting relationships.

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 personalized website that is presented at the end of the year.

The portfolio project covers some of the following topics:

  • Mission statement development
  • Jesuit values
  • Experiences in FLP (Residential Life, Family Influence etc.)
  • Reflections on leadership styles and their applications
  • Reflections on LDR 220: Ignatian Leadership: Ethics and Reflection.
  • 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.  

Seminars in FLP include having workshop days to explore and discuss various topics centered around developing skills as young leaders. Guest speakers within the Creighton and Omaha community are also invited to share their own personal leadership journeys.

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

Some of the service sites we have partnered with over the years include, The Hope Center for Kids, Jesuit Academy, Completely Kids, Sienna Francis House, Girls Inc and CIRA (formerly Refugee Empowerment Center) to list a few.

The Student Leadership and Involvement Center also offers a variety of internships to student leaders to help develop holistic leaders. If you’re interested, please contact our office at slic@creighton.edu.

Additionally, thanks to a grant from Coca Cola, funding may be available for students to attend conferences geared towards leadership development. Upon their return, students are asked to share what they learn with the community. Applications are reviewed twice a semester (September 15, October 15, January 15, February 15).