Apply to be a FUP Leader!

If you care about creating an incredible community of students who are passionate about service, activism and social justice work of all kinds, apply to be a FUP leader! We are looking for a diverse and fabulous crew of leaders for FUP 2009.

What is FUP?
The First-Year Urban Program is a week-long orientation to communities and community service opportunities in Cambridge and Boston for incoming first-year undergraduates (FUPpies). FUP supports and challenges FUPpies to look beyond the walls of Harvard and to see the issues that affect the urban community in which they will be spending their next four years. FUPpies, accompanied by experienced sophomore, junior, and senior student leaders and mentors, work with Cambridge and Boston area community members, the leaders of neighborhood service and activist organizations, and the leaders of the College's public service community. FUP's mission is threefold: to aid grass-roots organizations in local communities; to catalyze the FUPpies' involvement in service and activism while at the College; and to orient the new students to Harvard, Cambridge, and Boston, while providing them with the opportunity to meet peers who share with them an interest in public service and activism.

What do FUP leaders do?
The responsibilities of a FUP leader are numerous. All leaders are required to arrive back at Harvard by Sunday, August 16th, 2009, to undergo a four-and-a-half day training period, during which time the full schedule of FUP 2007 will be explained. Leaders are split into groups of two or three and assigned a group of six to nine FUPpies. Each group works at a different project site around Cambridge and Boston. In past years, project sites have included Fair Foods in Dorchester, the Hawthorne Youth Community Center in Roxbury, and the AIDS Action Committee in JP. Work at the sites ranges from painting and cleaning to voter registration to food preparation and weeding. During the evenings, all of the groups come back together at Harvard, where we will hear from speakers and participate in activities. Leaders are also responsible for facilitating conversations on issues of service, activism, and social justice based on readings assigned to the FUPpies. In general, leaders are expected to share their experiences with FUPpies and to serve as mentors for the first-year students in their groups.

What kind of people are you looking for to be FUP leaders?
We are looking for a whole range of people with a diversity of experiences. In particular, we are looking for individuals who have displayed a strong commitment to service and activism and who are able to think critically about the issues involved in such commitments. We also want people who are open and enthusiastic, and who desire to get to know and be a resource for first-year students in their difficult transition process.

Can I be a FUP leader if I never did FUP?
Absolutely!!! Many great FUP leaders were never FUPpies. Please let us know if you’d like to talk with any of them about their experiences as upperclassmen new to FUP. And remember, the FUP Steering Committee is always glad to talk about FUP with all prospective leaders.

How can I become a FUP leader?
E-mail us or copy and paste this link for the application [file:///Users/taravenkatraman/Desktop/fup09%20leader%20app.pdf] and drop it off at the FDO or email it to fup@fas.harvard.edu by 5 p.m. on Saturday February 14, 2009. We'll get back to you to schedule an interview and decisions should be made by just before spring break. If you would like to know more about FUP, contact us at fup@hcs.harvard.edu.

Please save this document as “[Your Name] FUP08 Leader App” and
e-mail your application to fup@fas.harvard.edu or drop it off in the FUP Mailbox at the FDO by 5:00PM on Saturday February 14, 2008. If you have any questions, contact FUP Steercom (Abby Brown, Brandon Perkovitch, Emily Owens, Nadia Gaber and Tara Venkatraman) at fup@fas.harvard.edu.