How to Make the Least Engaged Student a Hero
Crossing your lovely campus, you run into a student so introverted that your extrovert mind says “Why does he even come to our club meetings when he seems so…uninterested…” But you push this [biased] thought aside, put on your best smile and say “Hey, Dan! What’s up?” After a brief mumbled response from him, you mention […]
Going Greek to Get Involved – A Student Leader Spotlight
We are always meeting student leaders who are going the extra mile to make others feel welcome and build community culture on their campuses. We realized that one great way to learn from each other is to spotlight different students who have made an impact on the lives of their fellow students. Meet Gerard Edward Smithwrick, a […]
And the Winning #FreeHugs Postcard Is…[Insert Drumroll]
We recently asked all of you, the members of the Dance Floor Theory community, to help us pick a new #FreeHugs postcard. Jasmin Prows, a very talented student artist and leader from Salt Lake Community College, came up with some great designs, and we were thrilled to share them with all of you. We appreciate all […]
Homecoming Lip-syncing & Finding Your Sense of Belonging on Campus- A Student Leader Spotlight
We are always meeting student leaders who are going the extra mile to make others feel welcome and build community culture on their campuses. We realized that one great way to learn from each other is to spotlight different students who have made an impact on the lives of their fellow students. Meet Jasie Eubanks, a student at […]
Community Building Through Record Breaking
On May 6th, 2015, hundreds of Stevenson University students trekked out to their football field and wrapped their sweaty arms around blue exercises balls as part of an attempt to break a Guinness World Record while also raising money for a great cause. With almost 400 participants, Stevenson broke the previous record of 353 set […]
Dance Floor Theory™ in Movies: “Pitch Perfect”
After seeing Swift Kick’s Dance Floor Theory leadership training on building a strong culture of engagement, I started seeing examples of DFT tips everywhere, especially in movies. One film that has some great examples of getting others involved is “Pitch Perfect.” In this movie, Beca, a college freshman, is totally uninterested in finding any sort […]
Creating Moments of Kindness At New Student Orientation
Ryan Pugliese’s middle school experience was a collection of negative moments, leaving him ostracized with barely anyone he could call a friend. Being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at age 2 didn’t help, as it made it difficult for him to establish relationships like people normally do. Needless to say, when he graduated from 8th grade, […]
The Value of Campus Traditions and Student Engagement
On a foggy Thursday morning, Ricky K. of Casswell Drive stumbles out his front door with a coffee in one hand and a tiki torch in the other. Slowly, Ricky shuffles his feet towards the curb, soaking in the morning dew. Once at the curb, Ricky takes a deep breath in, while lifting his tiki […]
3 Simple Ways to Turn Your Social Media into a Community
We live in an online world, there’s no escaping it. I mean, one designer even created phone backgrounds for herself to remind her there’s a world past her relatively tiny screen. So we can’t talk about building community without acknowledging that social media plays a big role. Now, we all know about the issues around […]
Make a Campus Food Service Person Smile, Change the Whole Campus Culture
I occasionally glanced over to watch the school’s food service lady smile and laugh by herself, off to the side, throughout my Dance Floor Theory training at Queensborough Community College. Her smile and laugh both seemed so genuine. It almost felt like I was secretly looking into a moment she was having with her best […]