Students interested in joining the A-Team should apply before the deadline Thursday night. Chelsea Ratcliff, assistant director of First Year Experience and Retention Initiatives, said the A-Team is a group of student leaders that serves the Camp 1831 program in August before classes start.

“Essentially the A-Team are students who love the University that are really interested in leading new students around campus and getting familiar with where things are and comfortable with being a UA student, as well as serving as a mentor to a small group of students that would be starting their first year on campus,” she said. “So it’s kind of a great leadership opportunity to not only build leadership skills but also to give back to the campus community.”

What: The A-Team application deadline is approaching

Who: A-Team, First Year Experience and any student interested in applying

When: Applications are due Thursday, Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m.

Where: Applications can be found at fye.sl.ua.edu

Why:

“I think it is important for students to join the A-team for two reasons: the first one is the leadership skills and leadership abilities that students on the A-Team gain,” Ratcliff said. “They train for the entire spring semester to become leaders and to understand what their self-leadership skills are and where they can improve as well as their strengths to be able to help other people. And then I think the second part to why students should be on the A-Team is really the opportunity to give back to the University and to pour into incoming students and help them feel comfortable on campus; as well as know where things are and kind of just serve in a role that makes it a lot easier [for] new students’ first year.”

Ratcliff said many students say they wish they had somebody there for them in their first semester, and the A-Team is a great way to be that somebody for someone else.

She said something interesting about the A-Team is this is its seventh year on campus and the team has grown in size every year.

“I think another thing that is kind of cool about the A-Team is there’s the opportunity to lead on the team in future years,” she said. “So you can join the first year, and then you can take on a different leadership role your second year and a different one your third year. So, you really have the opportunity to stay on the A-Team your entire college career if you’re interested in that, and so I think that’s kind of unique compared to a lot of leadership positions on campus.”