Parent & Family Programs is excited to welcome Seth Templeman to the Family team! Seth will be working on our family events, blog, family orientation plus much more. Take a moment to get to know him!
Tell us about yourself.Major, hometown, future goals, etc. My name is Seth Templeman, and I am from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. I am a Business Administration major with a minor in Data Analytics. My future goals include moving back to Kansas City to settle down and get a full time job. My job goal is to become a project leader for a sales company.
Why do you think it’s important for students to get involved on campus? It is important for students to get involved on campus because it gives them an opportunity to connect with their fellow students. Finding new friends in college can be hard sometimes, but if you join an organization that holds similar values and ideals that you hold, then it becomes easier to find them. It can also help them make connections outside of the university that can lead to different internships or jobs in the future.
What organizations are you involved with? How have these organizations helped you at Missouri State? The organizations I am involved in on campus are Theta Chi Fraternity and New Student and Family Programs. These organizations have helped me grow as a leader. They challenged me to become a better version of myself than I was before joining. I’ve held multiple positions in my fraternity including: Brotherhood, Public Relations, and Greek Week Chairman. Joining Theta Chi has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life and I encourage everyone to try and find something like that when they come to college. For New Student and Family Programs I was a SOAR Leader this past summer and am now the Family Assistant. These organizations were a great way to meet new people and gain skills that will help me in my years after college. SOAR was one of the best summers of my life, and I would recommend it to everyone who has even the slightest interest in it!
You have been a SOAR leader. Why did you want to be a SOAR leader and what lessons did you learn? I wanted to become a SOAR Leader because of the people who were on the team the year before I started. I knew most of the team and they all said it was one of the best experiences of their lives. I wanted to become more involved on campus and help out my university. The lessons I learned included how to handle different situations that came my way on a daily basis, communication skills to help students through the registrations process.
What advice do you have for family members to help them support their student?
Do not be afraid that your student is alone down here in Springfield. They have a whole floor of people that they can connect with. There are so many organizations here at Missouri State that your student is bound to find one they can relate to. Whether it is a social fraternity, academic club, or athletics, there is something your student can get involved in. As their family member, encourage them to go check out different organizations on campus and become involved in them.
What’s your favorite MSU tradition? Why? My favorite tradition at MSU is Homecoming. It’s my favorite because it is a time where all organizations come together to celebrate the people who have come before us that have helped make this university the way it is today. The different events throughout the week are fun ways to get you ready for the parade and football game.
What is your best advice for students as they start a new year at Missouri State? As you start the New Year make sure to stay organized. Being organized is something that will help you go far in college. Keeping track of important dates and assignments in a planner will help you prepare throughout the week. GO TO CLASS. If you do not go to class you will not do well in that class. It is important to be an active listener in your classes so you can soak in as much content as possible.
What is the best advice anyone gave you about going to college? Keeping an open mind when you are first attending college is important. If you go in with the mindset that you won’t make friends and you won’t enjoy college, then that is exactly what will happen. Being open to new experiences and opportunities is key to having a great college experience. Keep your residence hall door open to meet the people on your floor, attend different organizations events to become involved on campus, apply for leadership positions. There are so many ways to make your years at Missouri State worthwhile and keeping your mind open to new experiences and opportunities is just one of them!
If you could give your 18 year old self, advice what would it be? I would tell my 18 year old self that Missouri State will give you as much as you put into it. Your college experience will be determined on how you act. If you don’t get involved and just stay in your residence hall, you are not getting the most out of this university. Join at least one organization on campus that they can relate to so you can stay involved on campus.