If you looked up the word ‘Girlboss’ online, a picture of Anna Gutfreund would pop up. Currently the Vice President of FSU’s Florida Public Relations Association— Student Capital Chapter, the Alumni Relations Chair for Delta Zeta and the Operations Director for the Homecoming council, Anna Gutfreund is putting in the work and looking good while doing it. The Operations committee plays a huge role in planning the events for Homecoming week and this week I got to sit with her and get a glimpse into the position!
Her Campus (HC): Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today! I wanted to take this from the top and ask you where your Homecoming journey began. When did you start working with the Homecoming council?
Anna Gutfreund (AG): I was on Spirit Force in the spring of 2021 due to the pandemic. Then, that fall I was the Sponsorship Chair. It was a quick turnaround since Homecoming was the first week of April and the next one was that October. It was a lot of fun though, and it was a great way to get involved during my freshman year.
HC: Since you already had a background in Homecoming council, what drew you to the Operations Committee?
AG: I wanted to play more of a role planning the events. I enjoy organizing and planning events, and then I realized through my other involvements that I liked doing logistical things as well. I thought Operations Director would be a perfect position to combine all of that. I also like being a team leader so the director position versus the chair position was perfect for me.
HC: What was a basic timeline of your tasks as Operations Director leading up to the fall?
AG: We started planning in March, and the beginning was pretty lax. The Operations team needed to give the Programming committee time to brainstorm what the events were going to be so we could start planning them out. So, we spent our time thinking about how to format the Spirit Force program and doing my check-ins with the committees to see how they were doing. We also worked with the Office of Accessibility this year, so that’s when we started contacting them and asking for their opinions.
Right before the summertime, we started having meetings with the Programming team to check their events and ask questions to confirm everything was feasible. Towards the end of the summer, we made the layouts and finalized all the events. Layouts take a lot of time because we have to make sure everyone’s ideas will work properly. Then we began ordering all the supplies for the events, like barricades, so we had everything we needed.
In the fall, we make the grids and the operations packet, which contain everything you need to know for the week of Homecoming. Those are also guides so people are informed about the events for the week. The day of the events is just making sure everything is in place and running smoothly.
HC: Due to Hurricane Ian, some of the Homecoming events got postponed. Although not all of them were able to be held, how did it feel seeing the events that were held come to life?
AG: It was amazing! It was cool to see the layout (which on the grids just looks like a bunch of colored squares) turn into a real event in the Student Union ballrooms! Being the Sponsorship chair last year, I was so worried about getting sponsors that I didn’t know how the event was going to look until the Operations meeting the week of. So now, knowing all this time how it was going to be and then actually seeing it in real life was so crazy. I loved the behind-the-scenes part of knowing why this table was here and not here, and then of course having people come and enjoy the event was amazing.
HC: Now let’s talk highlights! What was your funniest memory working in the Operations Committee this year?
AG: I’d say my funniest memory was my committee meetings because it’s a stressful time, but we would have so much fun with each other every time, just joking and talking. Our meetings would last almost two hours because we’d be talking for the last hour of it. It was a nice chance to de-stress and help everyone feel better about the stuff we had to get done. It was also a big bonding experience, so any time I got to spend with my committee was a lot of fun.
HC: Out of the events that were held, which was your favorite?
AG: My favorite was definitely Chalk on Legacy Walk. It was such a fun event, and seeing Spirit Force plan the whole thing and help it come to life was so cool. The year I was in Spirit Force I was on the Operations committee, so it was a full circle moment for me to see it again as Operations director.
It was so successful too! My freshman year was the first year we did Chalk on Legacy Walk, so seeing it continue, adding to it, and having the organizations that came in grow was amazing to see. It was the most fun getting to be outside and meet everyone. Not to mention it was a great kickoff event to start homecoming week.
HC: Looking back on your experience, what piece of advice would you give to next year’s Operations Director?
AG: I would say to plan ahead. When they tell you to make a timeline, make it as specific as possible with exact dates. That’s how I knew exactly what I had to do and when to do it. Trust your team as well because they’re all there to help you.
Another thing is, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. Everyone always tells you what a hard position it is, but you just have to keep yourself organized and focused. If you know when it’s time to work on Homecoming and when you should step away, it doesn’t get overwhelming because you have that separation.
My main piece of advice is to know all your hard work is worth it. Once you get to the week of events it’s so worth it; I don’t have any other words for it. It’s so fulfilling to see the events come to life with the committees you worked so hard with all these months. It’s all worth it.
Amidst the uncertainty and last-minute changes to the 2022 Homecoming schedule, Anna Gutfreund’s enthusiasm and love for her position were so refreshing. Her Campus FSU wishes Anna the best in her Homecoming and overall endeavors!
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