Senior Spotlight: Fran Seykora

Fran is a senior Sociology major with an interest in the fashion industry. On campus, Fran is involved in Greek Life, she served as the Director of Recruitment for the Panhellenic Council, she is a member of the Unite & Inspire club, and a writer for Be Magazine. I interviewed Fran on Thursday to catch up and see how her senior year has been going. 

How has your senior year been going so far?

It’s definitely different, but not in a bad way. I’m living with all my best friends, so even though we are social distancing I still feel like we are able to have fun. I have some in-person classes, which is a good way to keep me involved on campus since I live downtown this year. Of course I wish things were back to normal, but we are definitely making the most of it and having a good time. I am so happy to be back here! 

What is one thing you are really looking forward to this semester?

I am really looking forward to not going home!!!!! Also to making the most out of our time here because we never know when things could change and be switched to remote learning. I’ve dedicated this year to learn to live in the moment—I have been saying yes to plans with new people and trying new things I would never have done otherwise! 

What is on your “senior bucket list”?

Floating in the Susquehanna! I know that might be basic, but I really want to do that before I graduate. 

As Director of Recruitment, your summer and beginning of the school year were crazy busy. What are you doing with your extra free time?

This summer was a lot! Right now I am working for Mada, which is the company I worked for over the summer. It is a fashion app and I create digital advertisements for them. Since recruitment ended, I have been spending my extra time reading on my porch, cooking with my friends, and just hanging out in my house. 

What was the best part about being Director of Recruitment? What was the worst part?

The best part was seeing everything fall into place on Bid Day. The virtual recruitment process went much better than I could have ever expected, so I was very pleased with the results. Every chapter filled their quotas and everyone seemed so happy to find their place on Bucknell’s campus. The best part was watching everyone celebrate on Bid Day and knowing that all the hard work and long hours paid off in the end. The worst part was putting in all the work for an in-person recruitment last semester, but then having to quickly adjust to a virtual recruitment. We didn’t have a good role model for a successful virtual recruitment that we could follow, so it required a lot of planning, creativity, and open communication to get the job done. 

How do you feel recruitment went? Zoom Recruitment definitely was unique to this year, but do you feel good about the end result?

Yes, we were all surprised by how smoothly things went. Looking back, recruitment over Zoom ended up cutting out a bunch of the “unnecessary” aspects of recruitment, including the food the chapters serve and the t-shirts the PNM’s wear. Instead, the focus was placed on the PNM’s and making sure each individual found the right chapter. Overall, it felt less stressful than in years prior and I feel really good about the end result.

Do you have any exciting plans coming up? 

My 21stbirthday is in two weeks which I am excited for! It will be an unconventional 21stbirthday for sure, but I am still excited to celebrate with my friends. Also, I’m looking forward to Covid being over. 

One piece of advice for underclassmen? (Any awesome class to take, leadership position to run for, club to join, professor to take, etc.)

I recommend stepping out of your comfort zone and seeking out leadership positions that you are interested in. The more involved you get on campus, the wider your network is and the more Bucknell starts to feel like home. There are so many ways to get involved on campus (Greek Life, Orientation Assistant, clubs) and there is always someone on campus who is up for an adventure. Most importantly, treasure your time here!!! Every year goes by faster than the one prior. I cannot believe that I am already a month into my senior year. I absolutely love Bucknell and I am so sad that my time here is coming to an end.

Class to Take: Sociology 317: Inside-Out 

We went to SCI Coal Township Prison each week and directed a play with 6 inmates. It was such a unique experience and I highly recommend it to everyone!

Club to Join: Unite and Inspire

A female empowerment club on campus. My best friend, Hannah Lifter, is the president of the club and we meet every other week to discuss current topics in society related to women’s leadership. 

Professor to Take: Paul Muñiz

I recommend any class with this professor! He taught one of my favorite classes at Bucknell (Homelessness in the American City) and he was the most passionate, knowledgeable professor I have ever had. He made his students want to continue the discussion outside of class and inspired everyone to activate change.