Florida Leadership Academy

The mentee class is composed of driven second-year students who participate in weekly sessions, attend socials, civic engagements, workshops, and alumni events. Mentees attend Friday sessions with their mentor groups, consisting of four to five mentees and one mentor with whom they will compete in the case competition. Mentees also have the opportunity to apply their leadership skills by serving on a committee.

• Abigail Heimendinger
• Adriana Roth
• Ainsley Miller
• Akshitha Bandam
• Alayna Pearson
• Alexa Perez
• Alexandra Mancuso
• Alexandra Patuel
• Allison Phan
• Amelia Whipple
• Annalia Rodriguez
• Ansley Prather
• August Baier
• Austin Schermer
• Ava Edwards
• Axel March
• Benjamin Cabanas-Miller
• Cailyn Puig
• Caitlin Falkowski
• Caleb D’Antonio
• Carter Hutchinson
• Carter Mui
• Chase Ali
• Ching-Yuan Yao
• Claire Acosta
• Colin Olcott Cott
• Coraline Vaysse
• Daniela Romo de Vivar
• Danielle Swenson
• Devon Brodie
• Divya Duggal
• Ella Papanikolaou
• Ella Gibson
• Emilie Park
• Emma Williams
• Estefania Cerna
• Gabriella Burkett
• Gianna Guerrero
• Grayson Turkaly
• Hallie Goldstein
• Heli Bosmia
• Jack Gilvary
• Jade de Bem Fleury
• Jane Akers
• Janey Jones
• Jenna Perry
• Jeremy Thomas
• Joey Fisher
• Jordan Antevy
• Jose Sepulveda
• Julia Levi
• Katherine Adams
• Kaycie Peppelman
• Landry Kelley
• Lauren deRochemont
• Leah Hoffman
• Lexa Tzelepis
• Lila Evans
• Lilly Shortz
• Lisa Ross
• Lisette Alonso
• Logan Saltzman
• Luke Nevins
• Lydia Zhao
• Mackenzie Quinn
• Madison Hatfield
• Mana Fisher
• Maria Zegarra
• Maria Corina Gonzalez
• Marianna Innocenti
• Matthew Hillman
• Max Kaplan
• Max Sard
• Max Glater
• Maya Kunis
• Maya Richards
• Meghna Kakodker
• Michael Lieberman
• Molly Murphy
• Mysha Khan
• Nicole Gheiler
• Nicole Chen
• Olivia Hughes
• Olivia Martinez
• Pablo Fernandez
• Rahul Karpur
• Riav Gayadin
• Riley Mayforth
• Ryan Bomersbach
• Saakshi Raina
• Sasriya Parsi
• Satya Akula
• Sebastian Lescher
• Sebastian Wright
• Siddharth Kumar
• Sophie Roland
• Stella McLaney
• Tatiana Ronelus
• Taylor Reeves
• Terrence Smith
• Tess Turcu
• Tristan Stavish
• Tyler Tyson
• Vance Schroeder
• Virginia Gilbert
• Zoe Groothuis

Mentors are juniors who graduated FLA and now facilitate the FLA experience for small groups of mentees. Mentors attend weekly sessions with their groups, providing guidance, encouragement, and resources to help them develop personally, academically, and professionally. Mentors also attend socials, civic engagements, alumni events, and workshops. Mentors are eligible to serve as Assistant Directors for one of the four committees, where they assist the respective directors in leading a committee.

• Alyssa Abraham
  Civic Engagement AD
• Ava Mariani
• Avery Thieman
  Administration AD
• Cooper Beard
• Enslie Lloyd
  Recruitment AD
• Jillian Cranney
  Recruitment AD
• Jordan Birnbaum
  Civic Engagement AD
• Julia Scarton
• Justin Hall
• Kyle Silvestain
  Recruitment AD
• Lola Plasencia
  Networking AD
• Mason Silverstein
  Civic Engagement AD
• Melissa Garcet
  Networking AD
• Mell Vigoa Campa
• Michael Iacono
• Raisa Rahman
  Global Cultural Intelligence AD
• Sophia Caram
  Marketing AD
• Stephany Arias
• Taylor Aks

The innovation committee is a team of juniors who graduated FLA and now strive to ignite change within the program. Innovation focuses on internal communication and projects that provide all FLA members with opportunities for professional and personal growth during their journey. Innovation projects include the mentee and alumni newsletters, our Microsoft Teams dashboard and directory, the mentor retreat, and workshops.

• Abigail Kloss
  Workshops
• Alexandra Puig
  Leadership Training
• Ava LaRocco
  Workshops
• Chloe Fan
  Leadership Training
• Derya Caglayan
  Newsletters
• Ella Zucchero
  Corporate Relations
• Haley Randolph
  Technology Management
• Isabella Castagnola-Blaikie
  Newsletters
• Isobelle Evjen
  Intramural Sports
• Jacqueline Marks
  Book Club
• Jaliyah Brown
  Leadership Training
• Jospeh Gonzalez
  Intramural Sports
• Monte Grossman
  Corporate Relations
• Morgan Schneider
  Workshops
• Nikolas Lima
  Book Club
• Payton Findlay
  Intramural Sports
• Priya Patel
  Workshops
• Roshini Oruganti
  Leadership Training
• Ryan Moye
  Newsletters
• Skylar Bons
  Newsletters
• Sophie Heidt
  Technology Management
• Tyler Wenczl
  Technology Management
• Virginia Broughton
  Corporate Relations

FLAAB members are graduates of FLA who have given back as mentors or Innovation members during their junior year and now serve as a resource to younger members of the program. FLAAB members share their wisdom and experiences, and some coordinate a project within the program.

• Aaron Lower
  Chair of FLAAB
• Alexa Sefer
  General Member
• Blake Goodman
  Project Manager of Corporate Relations
• Brooke Zaremskas
  Project Manager of Intramural Sports
• Cecilia Le
  General Member
• Chloe Lai
  Project Manager of Think Tanks
• Elizabeth Bond
  Project Manager of Warrington Welcome Professional Development Summit
• Emma Fariello
  General Member
• Gabriella Mazza
  General Member
• Jake Conner
  General Member
• Jeremy Rich
  General Member
• Katie Troilo
  Project Manager of Insight Sessions
• Kennedi Carter
  Project Manager of Leadership Training
• Laura Mason
  General Member
• Leah Fisher
  Project Manager of Book Club
• Mati Diehl
  Project Manager of Warrington Welcome Professional Development Summit
• Sarah Pagels
  General Member
• Yoni Mann
  Project Manager of Workshops
• Zachary Jones
  General Member

Directors are graduates of FLA who have given back as mentors or Innovation members during their junior year and selflessly dedicate their senior year to managing major components of FLA’s programming while leading their respective committees.

• Angelina Arguelles
  Chief of Staff
  Our Chief of Staff oversees all aspects of the program and strives to create an impactful experience for every student in FLA by encouraging members to maximize their growth and leave a positive mark on FLA, Warrington, and UF.
• Lin Na Lu
  Director of Innovation
  Our Director of Innovation spearheads novel projects and resources designed to continuously improve FLA. 
• Sara Molloy
  Director of Networking
  Our Director of Networking hosts fun social events that help connect members and build a FLAmily culture, as well as alumni events to foster professional relationships between current and past members of the program.
• Angelina Fentress
  Director of Marketing
  Our Director of Marketing upholds and communicates the FLA brand while supporting all programming through engaging content creation.
• Jonah Sacher
  Director of Civic Engagement
  Our Director of Civic Engagement provides intentional opportunities for members to give back to the local Gainesville community and practice servant leadership.
• Mallika Baweja
  Director of Recruitment
  Our Director of Recruitment strives to attract a diverse class of aspiring leaders by generating awareness of and enthusiasm for FLA through broad outreach and events.
• Meghana Reddy
  Director of Global Cultural Intelligence

Emotional self-perception: Identifying emotions and their influence on behavior. Emotional self-perception is about describing, naming and understanding your emotions. Emotionally intelligent leaders are aware of how situations influence emotions and how emotions affect interactions with others.

Emotional self-control: Consciously moderating emotions. Emotional self-control means intentionally managing your emotions and understanding how and when to demonstrate them appropriately. Emotionally intelligent leaders take responsibility for regulating their emotions and are not victims of them.

Authenticity: Being transparent and trustworthy. Authenticity is about developing credibility, being transparent and aligning words with actions. Emotionally intelligent leaders live their values and present themselves and their motives in an open and honest manner.

Healthy self-esteem: Having a balanced sense of self. Healthy self-esteem is about balancing confidence in your abilities with humility. Emotionally intelligent leaders are resilient and remain confident when faced with setbacks and challenges.

Flexibility: Being open and adaptive to change. Flexibility is about adapting your approach and style based on changing circumstances. Emotionally intelligent leaders seek input and feedback from others and adjust accordingly.

Optimism: Having a positive outlook. Optimism is about setting a positive tone for the future. Emotionally intelligent leaders use optimism to foster hope and generate energy.

Initiative: Taking action. Initiative means being a self-starter and being motivated to take the first step. Emotionally intelligent leaders are ready to take action, demonstrate interest, and capitalize on opportunities.

Achievement: Striving for excellence. Achievement is about setting high personal standards and getting results. Emotionally intelligent leaders strive to improve and are motivated by an internal drive to succeed.

Displaying empathy: Being emotionally in tune with others. Empathy is about perceiving and addressing the emotions of others. Emotionally intelligent leaders place a high value on the feelings of others and respond to their emotional cues.

Inspiring others: Energizing individuals and groups. Inspiration occurs when people are excited about a better future. Emotionally intelligent leaders foster feelings of enthusiasm and commitment to the organizational mission, vision, and goals.

Coaching others: Enhancing the skills and abilities of others. Coaching is about helping others enhance their skills, talents, and abilities. Emotionally intelligent leaders know they cannot do everything themselves and create opportunities for others to develop.

Capitalizing on difference: Benefitting from multiple perspectives. Capitalizing on difference means recognizing that our unique identities, perspectives, and experiences are assets, not barriers. Emotionally intelligent leaders appreciate and use difference as an opportunity to create a broader perspective.

Developing relationships: Building a network of trusting relationships. Developing relationships means creating meaningful connections. Emotionally intelligent leaders encourage opportunities for relationships to grow and develop.

Building teams: Working with others to accomplish a shared purpose. Building teams is about effectively communicating, creating a shared purpose, and clarifying roles to get results. Emotionally intelligent leaders foster group cohesion and develop a sense of “we.”

Demonstrating citizenship: Fulfilling responsibilities to the group. Citizenship is about being actively engaged and following through on your commitments. Emotionally intelligent leaders meet their ethical and moral obligations for the benefit of others and the larger purpose.

Managing conflict: Identifying and resolving conflict. Managing conflict is about working through differences to facilitate the group process. Emotionally intelligent leaders skillfully and confidently address conflicts to find the best solution.

Facilitating change: Working toward new directions. Facilitating change is about advancing ideas and initiatives through innovation and creativity. Emotionally intelligent leaders seek to improve on the status quo and mobilize others toward a better future.

Analyzing the group: Interpreting group dynamics. Analyzing the group is about recognizing that values, rules, rituals, and internal politics play a role in every group. Emotionally intelligent leaders know how to diagnose, interpret, and address these dynamics.

Assessing the environment: Interpreting external forces and trends. Assessing the environment is about recognizing the social, cultural, economic, and political forces that influence leadership. Emotionally intelligent leaders use their awareness of the external environment to lead effectively.

FLA is a transformational program that requires a significant investment of time and energy. Selected mentees must be able to commit an average of five hours per week in their Fall and Spring semesters.

• Attend 10 engaging Friday sessions and lunches each semester (three hours per week).
• Meet individually with your mentor, our program director, and FLAAB members.
• Participate in one Social and one Civic Engagement event each semester.
• Participate in one Workshop and one Alumni Event in separate semesters.
• Apply developed leadership and professional skills in a Fall case competition.
• Attend our Spring Graduation and Induction Ceremony.

Applicants must meet all listed eligibility criteria by the date and time applications close. Applications that fail to meet one or more criteria will not be forwarded to the selection committee for review. By submitting an application, applicants agree to release their academic records and discipline records to the selection committee.

• 3.0 UF GPA
• Business or accounting major
• Entering sophomore year upon application
• Be on campus for the Fall and Spring semesters of your sophomore year

Each eligible applicant will be reviewed and scored by a selection committee consisting of Heavener staff members and FLA Advisory Board members. This criteria will be used to score applicants:

• Academic excellence
• Demonstrated leadership initiative
• Commitment to personal and professional development
• Compelling and professional application materials

Applications for FLA Class XXIII open on January 13, 2026 and close on February 17th at noon. If you have further questions regarding the application process after reviewing the following, please reach out to Mallika, our Director of Recruitment.

In this application, you will be asked to upload a screenshot of your resume in VMock, with required elements showing. Follow the VMock instructions now so your screenshot will be ready for uploading.

Applications open January 13th.

VMock instructions for the FLA application

Use your Warrington VMock account to build your most compelling resume (yellow zone or a minimum score of 33 required) and then upload one screenshot that includes all of these items:

1. Your name at the top right of your student dashboard
2. Your resume score
3. Your entire resume visible
4. Your name on your resume

If any of these elements are missing from your screenshot, your application will be incomplete.

Getting your VMock resume score

1. Go to the VMock Warrington login and sign in using your GatorLink credentials. You have access to 10 free VMock submissions per year, so we encourage you to only score your resume when you have made all suggested edits.
2. In your VMock Dashboard, select “Resume” and “Resume Feedback.” Then choose the category that best fits your current resume status:
   1. Category 1: You already have an existing resume.
      1. Option A: Your existing resume was built using an approved Warrington Resume Template (Year One Resume Template or Warrington Resume Template) (option A video tutorial).
         1. Upload your resume in PDF format to get started. VMock will automatically start scoring your resume.
         2. Follow the step-by-step SMART Editor guidance.
      2. Option B: Your existing resume was not built using an approved Warrington Resume Template (Year One Resume Template or Warrington Resume Template). Pick one of the two methods listed next to upload your resume and convert it to an approved template, based on how much time, effort, and scoring attempts you prefer to use.
         1. Method B1: Using this method will save you time by automating, but be aware that it uses a minimum of two VMock attempts (method B1 video tutorial):
            1. Upload your resume to VMock in PDF format to get started.
            2. VMock will give your resume an initial score. Click on “SMART Editor.”
            3. The screen will prompt you to select a resume template. Select the “Year One and Two – Undergraduate” template. Your resume will convert to this template.
            4. Follow the step-by-step SMART Editor guidance.
         2. Method B2: Using this method is more time-intensive and manual, but uses a minimum of 1 VMock attempt (method B2 video tutorial):
            1. Under “Community Templates,” select “See All Templates.”
            2. Select the “Year One and Two – Undergraduate Template.”
            3. Select “Download Template.”
            4. Click on the downloaded Template, and use it as a reference to convert your resume to the correct format. Ensure the margins, font, headers, layout, and content use the same format as the template.
            5. Once you have manually converted your resume to the correct format, upload your resume to VMock in PDF form.
            6. Follow the step-by-step SMART Editor guidance.
   2. Category 2: You do not have an existing resume. Create a Resume using VMock (category 2 video tutorial):
      1. If you do not have a resume yet, click on the “Create New” button in your student dashboard.
      2. A resume template will appear on the screen. Click the small piece of paper icon under SMART Editor, and select “New Resume.”
      3. Select the template titled “Year One and Two – Undergraduate.”
      4. Start adding content and follow the SMART Assistant for step-by-step guidance and real-time feedback.
      5. Once you have added sufficient content, click Get Score to receive your resume score and feedback.
3. Make desired edits and incorporate all feedback, and then rescore your resume until you are satisfied with your score. Remember that your scoring attempts are limited to 10 per year, so only resubmit your resume for scoring once all of your recommended edits have been made. If you are in the red zone, you will need to keep working on your resume until you receive a score in the yellow zone (33 or higher).
4. Once you are happy with your resume score and your resume is in the proper Warrington format, you will need to take a screenshot to submit for FLA.
   1. Select “Student Dashboard” to go back to the home screen, and then select “Resume” to return to all resume attempts.
   2. Find the attempt that you would like to submit, and select “View Detailed Feedback.”
   3. Zoom out on your browser so your entire resume is visible on your screen.
   4. Take the exact screenshot provided as an example below, which must include all of these elements. Missing any of these elements will render your application incomplete.
      1. Your name in the gray box of your VMock Dashboard
      2. Your name at the top of your resume
      3. Your VMock score
      4. Your entire resume should be visible