FIYou: Robert “Bobby” Borgmann

Name: Robert “Bobby” Borgmann

Hometown:  Miami, FL

Job Title/Department:  Assistant Director, Campus Life

Location/Campus:  GC 2240, MMC

In a nutshell: I’m a highly motivated individual who enjoys the work I do. I am an event programmer who empowers those I work with to grow professionally and personally. On campus, I am the Campus Life Assistant Director for Programming and I am charged with advising the MMC Student Programming Council, the Homecoming Council, and overseeing all of the MMC Week of Welcome programs. I am also one of the staff advisors for Panther Camp and a Co-Lead Facilitator for the LeaderShape Institute.

Number of years at FIU: Professionally, I’ve been at FIU for four years. If you add the years that I spent as a student and graduate student, the number goes up to 11.

What do you enjoy most about your job? The most gratifying parts of my job are watching students succeed or complete an event and be able to say, “I did that!”

What should students and your fellow faculty/staff know about your department?
Students and faculty/staff should know that Campus Life offers many different opportunities for students to complement their collegiate experience. Whether it’s managing a large budget, programming events, developing interpersonal skills, or networking, Campus Life can assist students develop competencies that will help them in and out of the classroom.

Where is your favorite spot on campus?
My favorite spot on campus has to be the GC Fountain. It’s a great spot to relax when the day has been more chaotic than you anticipated. It has a calming effect to it and used to be a great spot to study while I was an undergraduate student.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about FIU?
The faculty members at FIU are amazing! Some of the professors I had as a student were not only amazing at their craft, but truly made learning a more enjoyable experience. As one faculty member, Phillip Marcus, used to say before every class, “It’s great to be here!”

How do you help make FIU “Worlds Ahead?”
I help make FIU Worlds Ahead by showing my students how to think outside the box. Whether it’s programming the largest Homecoming concert in the state of Florida or programming cultural events for the university, I encourage students to go bigger than they can imagine, to show how unique each and every event truly is.

Word that best describes you:
All-in.

First paying job:
My first paying job was as an attendance clerk at G. Holmes Braddock Sr. High.

Favorite TV show:
Friends, The Walking Dead

What is playing on your iPod?
I have an eclectic taste in music. You can find anything from the Beatles and Beach Boys to J. Cole and Blink 182 playing on my iPod at any given moment.

Favorite off-campus dining spot:
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. As a huge fan of the movie Forrest Gump, this place will forever hold a spot near and dear to my heart and stomach.

Your proudest accomplishment:
I actually have two accomplishments that I’m very proud of. The first was when I was asked to contribute my writing to a book – The Strategic Guide to Shaping Your Student Affairs Career by Sonja Ardoin – that will be released this month (March 2014). The second was when I was selected to serve as a Co-Lead Facilitator for the LeaderShape Institute.

What do you do when you are not working at FIU?
I enjoy traveling or watching Netflix. There are so many great shows you can catch up on when there is downtime.