When Frandie Francique graduated from Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS) in 2017, she felt prepared to enter college but still recognized that there were some skills she needed to work on. 

“CAHS is a college prep high school, so I felt ready to go academically. I was more concerned with taking charge of my life and deciding where I really wanted to go,” Francique said. “I knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone and find resources to polish my skills.” 

CAHS hosted a series of college graduates as guest speakers at the school; they stressed that leadership and public speaking skills were the main areas that college students needed to be focusing on along with their studies. These were the areas Francique wanted to strengthen at Otterbein. 

From her first days on campus, Francique found ways to combine her passions with ways to expand her toolbox of skills. 

“At CAHS, I was really involved with theatre but I knew this was not going to be my major. I discovered the Otterbein improv theatre group and I became a member during my first year. I was pleasantly surprised Otterbein gave me the chance to be part of something like that right away,” she said. 

While improv helped with public speaking, Otterbein University Student Government (OUSG) and the Orientation Leader (OL) program offered the chance to work on leadership. Francique, a psychology and sociology double major with a minor in race and ethnic studies, saw OUSG and OL students as vocal advocates on campus for student constituencies and representatives of what Otterbein is all about. Francique was immediately drawn to both. 

“As a commuter student, sometimes we feel apart from the main student body and often overlooked. My OLs made sure we all felt part of the community and Otterbein family from day one. OUSG gave me the platform to be the voice for my peers, so I applied to both my second year and I’ve been with them ever since,” Francique said. 

Francique has been moving into OUSG positions with more and more responsibility. She started as the commuter senator, then was elected treasurer as a junior, and as a senior is now president. She says that all the experiences she’s had at Otterbein are now coming together and allowing her to be a voice for students. 

“From the connections you make with faculty and staff, to the welcoming student groups that help expand your horizons and passions, to the classes and experiences that polish and hone your skills, Otterbein gives you the opportunities to make your education uniquely yours. I’m so grateful to have been part of this wonderful place,” she said.