Each year, the Student Transition and Support department at East Texas A&M University creates a First-Year Leadership Class that brings together incoming students who desire to be active and engaged in their communities and academics.

Students in this year’s class have completed three community service projects this spring. The students chose their own projects and executed them from scratch. The projects included:

• An arts and crafts night in partnership with the Counseling Center
• a lip sync battle benefiting the Lion Food Pantry
• a free dinner and bingo night for families in the ACE program at A.C. Williams Elementary, which included a pop-up food pantry for parents

The program strives to equip first-year students with the education and personal leadership skills necessary to lead throughout their higher education experience and beyond.

Makenzie Taylor, a first-year animal science/pre-vet major, reflected on her involvement in the program: 

“This experience has shown me that community service is not always about giving in the form of donations or money. It can also be through the simple gestures of taking care of someone else,” Taylor said.

Sierra Jones, director of Student Transition and Support, is proud of the First-Year Leadership students:

“I learned early on in teaching these students not to underestimate what a first-year student with a real passion and a real purpose can accomplish. They will always surprise you,” she said.

The leadership class develops personal leadership skills and nurtures individual passions and talents. Enrollment in this course is through a competitive application process, where students must provide evidence of excellence in both leadership and academics. Participants receive scholarship funding to support their academic journey at East Texas A&M.

Are you an incoming student who wants to apply? The application deadline for the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 class is August 3. Learn more on the First-Year Leadership Class webpage.