Name: Larnell Vickers
Job: Student body vice president
Age: 21
Area of study: Pursuing a master's degree in management; holds a bachelor's degree in political science
Larnell Vickers has big plans for himself: law school, public office, philanthropy. But before he tackles any of that, he's taking on an even bigger challenge.
He's going to teach high school English.
Vickers, the University of Florida's student body vice president, has been accepted into Teach for America, the highly competitive program that selects college graduates to work in some of the country's poorest schools. After completing his education at UF, Vickers will move to Atlanta to start a two-year teaching stint.
"I really just fell in love with TFA and the mission," Vickers said.
The 21-year-old is no stranger to leadership roles. At UF, he's served as a student government cabinet director, a job that allowed him to advocate for campus organizations. He has also been vice president of the university's Black Student Union.
Vickers, who identifies as politically moderate, has traveled to Tallahassee and Washington to lobby for student issues like differential tuition, which allows universities to raise their prices incrementally. He also speaks with university administrators on behalf of UF's roughly 50,000 students.
University life is important to Vickers. Born and raised in Miami, he chose to attend UF because he "wanted to go to the best institution in the state," and he's come to love UF's campus and atmosphere. In 2009, he received his undergraduate degree a year early and is now pursuing a master's degree in management.
There are only a few weeks left, though, before his time as a student and stint as SG's No. 2 official draw to a close, so Vickers is looking ahead. He hasn't decided what sort of public office he wants to pursue just yet, but in the meantime, he's focusing on his future as an English teacher.
"I'm definitely excited to do it," he said.
