Andre Green’s passion for student recruitment has obliterated everything in its path since he discovered it.
Green, the associate director of New Student Orientation and Campus Visits at Florida A&M University, has been administering the orientation process for more than 10 years.
The Office of New Student Orientation organizes programs designed to facilitate the transition from high school into college. During the orientation process, you learn about the university’s policies and procedures, receive information about the services and organizations available to you as a student and gain knowledge about your choice of academic majors.
“I love working in a college environment because I get to experience students develop into leaders and successful young adults,” said Green.
Green grew up in the small town ofMarianna, an hour west of Tallahassee, where many of his family members and the people he knew worked for the education system. After graduating high school, he attended Florida State University for his undergraduate degree in human sciences.
During his time at FSU, Green became an orientation leader. An orientation leader is an undergraduate student who is selected as a campus expert to assist students and families in their transition into college. After serving as an OL for two years, he developed a longlasting love for higher education.
“I knew that I loved college, and I loved being involved so I started considering higher education as a career,” he said. “I decided to attend graduate school at the University of Missouri where I received a degree in higher education administration.”
Green was working for student activities and the admissions office during his graduate career at Mizzou when he received a phone call regarding a job offer at Florida A&M University. He quickly accepted the job where he started off as a coordinator. Two weeks later he was promoted to associate director of New Student Orientation.
Green had been the associate director for eight years when the university requested that he be the first director of the Student Government Association. He accepted the offer and worked in the position for almost two years before returning to the Office of New Student Orientation.
“Being that I was the first director ever of SGA, I faced many challenges. As the director of New Student Orientation, I was able to select leaders. However, In SGA, leaders were elected by popular vote. So, trying to get their mindsets into leader mode, it was difficult,” said Green.
His most rewarding experience since being the associate director of NSO is seeing students graduate, get good jobs and start families. Just knowing that he had a part in that motivates him to do more.
“I served under Mr. Green as a 2016 Orientation Leader and I must say that he truly cares about the positive development of the university and the students here,” said William Linton, an informational technology student at FAMU.