New leader ready to represent USF

His ascent comes at a time of national recognition for the Bulls.

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER, Times Staff Writer
Published October 15, 2007

University of South Florida Student Body President, Garin Flowers, 21, poses for a portrait in the Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza outside the Marshall Center.
	[Ross Mantle | Times]

TAMPA - Two years ago, Garrin Flowers was a longtime track athlete who didn't own a business suit.

Now, thrust unexpectedly into the University of South Florida's student body presidency, he is attending meetings with top university administrators and preparing for trips to Tallahassee, where he'll have to lobby lawmakers on behalf of his fellow 45,000 Bulls.

Flowers' rapid ascent - from USF homecoming planner to student body vice president to president within a year - came from less-than-ideal circumstances. Flowers' friend, Barclay Harless, left the top student government spot last month, following alcohol-related misconduct in his campus office.

Flowers, 21, suddenly moved from vice president to president, and at a time when USF's top 10 football team is garnering national attention. But he says he's ready, and happy to have the responsibility.

Going from Homecoming planner to a vice president of more than 40,000 students is a big leap. Did you worry about being ready?

I was just excited. I didn't really think about whether I was ready or not. I just said, I'm going to do it and take that next step. I had basically done everything else at USF, and student government was the one area I never got involved in.

What else have you done at USF?

I worked at WBUL, the campus radio station. I was the music coordinator plus a DJ. I was an athlete, too. I was on the track and field team my first year.

How do you think the involvement will help you as, all of a sudden, you're the student leader for 45,000 students?

Well, before getting involved I didn't have a resume. So it's basically changed my life. I've become a lot more professional. I didn't have any suits in my closet for the first two years here until I started getting involved and started going to meetings.

When you were in high school, were you interested in student government or politics?

I'm surprised I ended up in student government. In high school, I was the athlete. That's why I decided to make a change for myself and get involved here.

As president now you're in charge of a huge budget, you're expected to go up to Tallahassee to lobby. That's a lot of responsibility.

It is, but I love it because I love USF. It means a lot to me to be able to represent USF in Tallahassee or different student meetings. I know I can help take USF to the next level.

What do you think about the tuition debate going on right now?

It's difficult because as a student, you don't want to pay more. But being a leader, you know the situation of classes being too full and not having enough advisers. So I'm for the tuition increase because I know it will make a difference. We'll have more advisers, smaller classrooms, more attention, a greater experience.

What's your favorite thing and least favorite thing about USF?

It's so easy to make a difference here. It's not an old school, but we do have a lot of rich traditions, and students are creating them. The fact that we can have a hands-on approach to things is nice.

But USF sometimes, it feels like we're behind the times ...in the way of thinking. There's a lot of ways we could make life easier at USF but we don't because we just don't do our research to see how other universities are doing things. I feel like we could improve things like the bus shuttle, change it to make it quicker and easier to use.

Of course, now you have the power to change some of that.

(Smiles) That feels good.

What's your No. 1 goal as president?

To provide the best student experience possible. You know, making campus life easier for students. Like with the new football ticket policies, we need to be there for students when they're waiting in line - provide them food, entertainment.

What do you think about the USF football team? Are you a big fan?

I'm a huge fan of USF football. It went from a team that was mediocre, average to, you know, seeing people wearing Bulls shirts on national television. It's amazing. I've always been a fan, but now, you know, this is the place to be. Everybody's talking about.

That makes your position more high profile, doesn't  it?

Exactly. (Laughs) It's a great time to be president.

Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler can be reached at svansickler@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3403.

Biography

Garrin Flowers

Age: 21

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale

Major: Broadcast news

Hobby: Producing music. He and his friends wrote a love ballad called "The Andros Song," named after USF's popular campus dining hall.

Check it out online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ObUAiGS42A

[Last modified October 14, 2007, 22:00:50]