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In fall 2021, Task Force Freshman bounced back from a year of entirely online meetings to in-person meetings! We started the program with a bang, with a retreat full of memories and fun the TFFs will carry with them through the rest of their college experience. We did ice-breaking activities, introduced the Cardinal Policy Project by having students solve zany problems you’d think were from Parks and Recreation. TFF won a valiant victory against Freshmen LEAD in our Bazooka Ball war, before capping off the night with a karaoke show that brought us closer as friends. We also roasted (accidentally) tiny marshmallows for smores and some played an impromptu game of Gotcha in the dark! The First-Year leadership retreat was, for sure, a time to remember. As we’ve progressed in the program, our talented, dedicated TFFs have been working hard on their policy projects. Caroline and I are proud of and confident in our TFFs’ abilities to get the policy project across the line and deliver impact to the UofL student body. We also thank SGA members and other student leaders on campus for their expertise and drive to ensure all of the students succeed. With their help, we are forming the next generation of student leaders and creating capable minds to pass the mantle to. This group of TFFs is passionate about what they do, dedicated to ensuring their policy is impactful and good, and we are all excited to see what comes next! Follow along for more updates in the spring :) Colby Edwards TFF Policy Director 2021-2022
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In a year of uncertainty, Task Force Freshmen remains to be an opportunity for first-year students to gain leadership skills and form meaningful connections with faculty and staff. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, program directors adjusted our meeting format to be entirely online. The TFFs adjusted nicely to this transition and met weekly via MS Teams. While it can be challenging to connect with first-year students virtually, we do our best to create a safe, educational, and fun environment for program participants. We provided multiple opportunities for students to get to know one another on a smaller scale and hold personal one-on-on meetings with each student at least once a semester. TFFs this year participated in team building exercises, such as online breakout rooms. They heard from community guest speakers, like Charles Booker and Teach for America representatives. TFFs even participated in online social events, such as game nights, Buzzfeed quiz nights, and more! Finally, TFFs continued to focus time and attention towards policy work, including meetings with Student Government upperclassmen to help them develop their policy ideas. To say the least, 2020-2021 has been an active and exciting year for TFF!  AuthorJules Blank is the programming director for Task Force Freshmen. What does it feel like to make a difference? If you’re like most of us, as you walk though campus, there are things that upset you along the way. Whether it be the lack of seating in your favorite building or getting out of class with your mouth watering and having your favorite dining option closed before 5 p.m., we’ve all been there. Have you ever wondered though how students make change and address these frustrations? It really comes down to one thing- policy. Now you’re likely asking yourself, what is policy exactly? According to the University of Sydney, they define that policy is “a course or principle of action, adopted or proposed by a government, party, business or individual.” In other words, policy states that a change is needed and proposes a way for said changed to be implemented. That being said, it is NOT the course of action itself nor does it define the means in programs are to be implemented. This year, we shifted the focus of our Cardinal Policy Project to campus and challenged our students to brainstorm policy ideas to make their campus a better place to learn, work and invest. While this is a large undertaking for freshmen students, we are delighted at the thought and dedication our TFFs have poured into the policies they are working to draft. Identifying key stakeholders and implementation applications are in the works and we can’t wait to share the fruit of their labor and dedication. Check back soon for more updates and possibly a peak at some of our favorite policies from this year’s group!
During the trip to Cedarmore Crossing, I, together with 29 other members of TFF, had an emotional and unforgettable experience. The beautiful scenery along with the nice, sustainable temperatures made for a great experience. From the get go, I could tell that our leaders had great excitement for the events they had planned for us. You could tell, by the excited conversations they would have with us constantly beforehand, that they really wanted us to have the best experience of the year. Thus, we did. After the trip was over, and we had returned to our normal lives again, it felt like it was a fantasy. The fantastical experience with our program directors and the cooperative experience with Freshman Lead made for a brag worthy experience. If I could, I would do this every chance I get. Thank you, Michael and Madison, your beautiful ideas paved way for a beautiful experience that I will never forget. 
-Carlos Alfonso Task Force Freshman (18-19) Hey UofL '22! Welcome to campus. We are so excited to have you here as a part of our Cardinal family. My name is Madison Shields and I am one of the Task Force Freshman (TFF) Directors. TFF is a unique program designed for freshman to get introduced to Student Government opportunities, policy writing, service, leadership, student leaders on campus, and SO much more!! I was a TFF my freshman year, and my favorite part was being paired with a mentor who taught me all about their student leadership role on campus and how to get involved after my freshman year. Now I am one of the TFF Directors, and I couldn't be more excited about my UofL involvement. I would love to meet you and talk about what your personal involvement story could look like here at UofL! I really hope you consider applying for TFF. You can find the application online at https://orgsync.com/44525/forms/321840. The deadline is Wednesday, August 29th, 2018 by 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me via email.  My co-director, Michael Degroot, and I cannot wait to meet you!!
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