COMMITTEES

In order to develop leadership skills in our members, each freshman will be placed into one of six committees (shown below). Each pair of directors will lead these committees and guide their freshmen. The freshmen will eventually get the opportunity to lead their committee and make it into their own.

DEVELOPMENT

Professional Development

Responsible for bringing in speakers and managing events
In charge of organizing events geared towards developing professional skills

Student Development

Responsible for ensuring each member gets a meaningful leadership experience, monitoring members' activity, and promoting mental health

BIG/LITTLE FAMILIES

Each freshman will be placed into a family of two-three upperclassmen who were once freshmen in FEST with the purpose of offering each freshman another way to get to know more members outside of their committee and creating the opportunity for more meaningful relationships.

REQUIREMENTS

General Meetings - Each freshman is expected to be able to consistently show up to the weekly meetings held every Wednesday in Rudder/MSC.
Dues - $225 (A one-time payment that covers all events hosted by FEST, including both retreats)
Service Events and Mental Health Activities - Each freshman is expected to participate in at least one service event and mental health activity each month.
Girls/Guys Night - Once a semester, guys and girls are divided to participate in an activity targeted to assist in creating stronger relationships.
Point System - Each freshman is expected to attend at least 2/3 of specified mandatory meetings and events held by FEST.

Events

Intramurals - Different competitive and recreational sports leagues, tournaments, and competitions held during certain time spans at Texas A&M facilities.
Mixers - An event designed to mix freshmen into getting to know other freshmen by placing different committees with each other to do various events, such as volleyball or jeopardy.
Beta Matches - Games hosted after General Meetings where the committee with the most points at the end of the year will receive a prize at the banquet.
Profit Shares - Fundraising events hosted by FEST through partnerships with other organizations or locations near campus.
FEST Bingo - A week where freshmen are challenged to complete a bingo sheet filled with certain tasks that involve getting pictures with fellow festies.
Committee Reveal - A night where freshmen are officially placed into a committee through an Oscar-themed event followed by a scavenger hunt.
Big Little Dates - A week filled with small get-togethers hosted by each big to allow freshmen the opportunity to get to know the bigs in preparation for Big Little Reveal.
Love your Little Week - A week leading to the big reveal where the bigs will text their littles anonymously.
Big Little Reveal - An event where each freshman will find out who their big and big family are through special themes designed by each big.
PowerPoint Night - A night where big/little families will make funny slideshows about hot takes, rankings, or other nuance options, and then present them to each other.
Initial Hangout - The first time freshmen will official hang out as members of FEST!
Initial Retreat - A fall retreat designed to allow each freshman the opportunity to get to know the directors and other freshmen in FEST through a park hangout followed by watching the football game at the MSC or Rudder and night at DI complex.
Festgiving - A fall get-together where we hang out at Lake Bryan, light a campfire, and spend time together.
Festmas - The Christmas-themed get-together where we do Secret Santa and a gingerbread house competition between each committee.
Spring Retreat - A spring retreat planned outside the city of College Station where freshmen will do a service event or leadership opportunity followed by a fun event, such as Six Flags.
Shack-a-thon - A fundraising event for Aggie Habitat for Humanity, which allows students to come together and build a shack on campus and requires that at least one person from each organization be in that shack for all hours of the week.
Banquet - A final get-together where we celebrate the year as a whole with a dinner, awards, and speeches by the directors and execs.