The Sloop Institute for Excellence in Leadership was named after former professor and advisor for the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Dick Sloop, whose legacy lives on through the professional development of the young leaders who attend.

Attendees were able to participate in several leadership workshops and got to meet and network with notable FSU alums. And for many of the students, it was one of the first professional settings they have ever been immersed in.

The weekend-long event kicked off with an evening meal which allowed students to fine tune their dinner etiquette and wrapped with guest speaker and alumnus, Sandra Wyche Adams ‘86, who spoke on the topic of leadership and the legacy she hopes to leave as she continues her career endeavors within her technology company.

Saturday morning the students heard from an alumni panel made up of Joseph Lambert ‘79, Leslie Ludwig ‘83, J. Stokes ‘09 and Donald Fry ‘77. The group answered questions, offered advice about leadership and shared experiences from their time at Frostburg and in their careers.

Sloop Institute participants pose with their certificates after a weekend of leadership presentations and activities.

After the interactive panel, the students attended a workshop on effective communication strategies across personalities and generations presented by alumnus Lauren Ludvigsen ‘15. The students had another opportunity to network with FSU alum and peers over lunch before attending three more workshops.

Ashley Daniels ‘11 and Shannon Gribble ‘98 presented a workshop on the resources available at FSU to assist students within their leadership journey. Greg Bistany '09 presented a workshop on the polarity of leadership and decision making, and Brianna Hopkins '16 presented a workshop on what it means to be a resilient leader.

The students concluded their day with dinner and more networking opportunities.  Although the schedule was busy, the student leaders absorbed all the knowledge and exposure the Sloop Instituted granted them. Student Lydia Nebiolo stated “Sloop is a great experience, even the second time around. You’re able to meet new people, learn new skills, and prepare yourself for the future not just as leaders, but as people”.

Daniels, alumnus, workshop presenter and associate director of Student Life said, “Having attended Sloop as a student it’s great to see a program that impacted my leadership journey continue to impact FSU students. I still remember some of the workshops hosted during my time, so I hope that this year’s trip was also memorable for other leaders.”

In addition, two FSU students were awarded scholarships during their time at Sloop. Student attendee Reagan Mangum noted, “Not only does this program offer the opportunity for scholarship, but the experience it provides allows students the privilege and knowledge to grow their leadership journey not only at Frostburg, but within their future goals.”