After a national search that included thousands of applicants, NIU has a new associate director of University Programming and Activities.

Flecia Thomas, a graduate of Illinois State University in Normal, began her job as associate director of UP&A last November.

As associate director of UP&A, Thomas is director of the continued development of leadership classes, banquets and conferenes and Black Greek Council. Thomas said, “This job is more challenging because of the variety of things involved in terms of responsibility.”

Thomas is particularly interested in assisting students in their leadership skills, she said. The most rewarding aspects of her position at NIU are to “coordinate and proceed to teach the leadership classes (so the students) get the opportunity to learn and have the sucessful tools (needed in the work place). She added she would like students to “get experience and know how to market it.”

Another rewarding aspect of the position is to assist the Black Greek Council because she said she feels it can hold “a viable position (in the Greek Council system) for all in Illinois.”

Before coming to NIU, Thomas’ accomplishments included being on the dean’s list at ISU where she received her bachelor of science in speech communication and a master of science in education.

After graduating from ISU she worked for the Ivy League campus of Central University, Ithaca, N.Y. One of her jobs at Cornell was assistant director for student development in the Office of Minority Educational Affairs. After four years at Cornell, she chose to accept the appointment at NIU.