Julie Fletcher has been hired as the new assistant director for Greek life, a decision that was announced in late July through the UNA Greeks Twitter account.

“Our new Assistant Director of Student Engagement for Greek Life, Julie Fletcher, will start August 5th!” read the tweet, written by Savannah Smith, graduate assistant for Greek affairs.

The Office of Student Engagement has been looking to fill the position since April, after former Greek Life Director DeAnte’ Smith resigned. Fletcher was considered for the position after she applied during the summer, Smith said.

“In her interview she came with a lot of vision for Greek life, and we think she is going to integrate well with our staff team here,” Smith said.

Fletcher said she has experience consulting for the national chapter of her sorority, and she recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Southern Mississippi. During her time as a graduate assistant at USM, Fletcher worked with Greek organizations under the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and Interfraternity Council (IFC), all of which are present at UNA.

“I traveled to 41 different universities, so I was able to see really large schools and really small schools, and the difference in Greek life all across the country (while working as a national consultant),” Fletcher said. “My experience came from my love of being involved on campus and knowing how important that is. I think what you’re involved in and what you do in college really makes up who you are.”

This experience is one of the reasons the hiring committee chose Fletcher.

“She’s creative, she’s got a lot of energy, she has lot of experience in working with a Greek organizations,” said Tammy Jacques, director of student engagement. “One of the big things I liked about her presentation (to the search committee) were membership recruitment and retention. She’s very strategic in her thinking and her process of thinking for the future.” 

Fletcher said she would also like to help Greek students focus strongly on academics.

“I’m a big proponent of the idea that you’re a Greek student, but a student first,” she said. “I hope to establish good working relationships with the students. It doesn’t matter what my goals are – it matters what their goals are and I’m here for them.”

Although she has only been on staff at UNA for a few weeks, Fletcher said she is enjoying her new position and the atmosphere of campus.

“UNA has a personal feel to it,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed regional schools because you can be involved in everything and still juggle it all on top of schoolwork, compared to just being a number on a college campus. It seems like the staff and the students enjoy being 

here. I’ve had a fantastic experience so far.”

Mackenzie Brown, president of UNA’s chapter of NPC, said she believes Fletcher has the students’ interests in mind.

“We want somebody to care, who can help us and has new ideas and I think that she brings that to the table,” Brown said.