Two FSU entrepreneurs are bringing change to campus
Their main goal is to spread the love
Freshman Gillian Maxwell and Junior Lexi Colby are transcending the “typical” college experience. While they have different approaches, their end goal is the same: to spread love, unity and a little more cheer at FSU.
A few years ago, Lexi was online and noticed one of her favorite musicians, a singer and actor named Max, would tweet his fans this symbol [<3] and call it a box of love. Lexi saw how happy it made Max’s fans, and wanted to create an actual box of love she could send to people who were having a hard time. She brought up the idea to him, he loved it, and that’s how A Box of Love was born.
Now a non-profit run from Lexi’s hometown in Ohio and here in Tallahassee, their mission is to spread love to kids going through a rough time. The boxes started out with her, her family and close friends donating items. They’ve since had toy drives and receive packages of donations from people all around the country.
Lexi says her inspiration for starting A Box of Love was her love making others feel loved, and she found a way to send love to people all over. When determining who receives the boxes, Lexi says the requests typically come to her.
“You can request boxes on the website, but people have also reached out through Facebook. We’ve made local connections back home [in Ohio] and are making local connections here in Tallahassee, and its the people I speak with who typically receive these boxes.
“We don’t turn away people, anyone who is going through a rough time can receive a box.”
Each Box of Love contains a handmade stuffed heart, encouraging note, and a toy depending on the childs age, each item reminding them they are loved. Lexi mentioned a large amount of the boxes go out to agencies, and these agencies then give the boxes out to the community. “The feedback and reception has been super positive, and parents are always very thankful.”
When asked what events A Box of Love holds on campus, Lexi told The Tab: “Every semester we have A Day of Love, and we dedicate the day to spreading love to students and faculty on campus. We basically just stand on part of campus for a few hours and hand out encouraging notes- similar to the ones in the boxes of love, because students and faculty are important too and we want them to feel loved as well. Last semester we gave out around 150 boxes, and we just had an event a couple of weeks ago, where we turned one of the meetngs into a toy drive and gave away 94 boxes to children in need.”
To get in touch with A Box of Love US, or start A Box of Love chapter at another US school, email [email protected]. To get in touch with or become a part of A Box of Love FSU, email [email protected].
Gillian Maxwell may be a freshman, but she has no problem figuring out how to influence people in a positive way. Her blog, Life of the Ambitious was founded in her best friends bedroom when she was 14 years old. It started as a creative outlet for her 14 year old self to express her passion for the fashion industry, and escape the hardships of life.
Now, Life of the Ambitious is beyond a teenage girls blog, but a full blown website. While it still holds focus in the realm of fashion, it goes beyond that to be a place to connect with people as well. Visitors can go on the site to receive outfit and style tips and tricks, and fashion related events happening in the Tallahassee and Palm Beach areas.
She also posts fashion tips for guys as well, creating weekly Man Crush Monday’s where she shines a light on local FSU, FAMU and TCC male students with an eye fashion, and interviews with students who wouldn’t normally receive the spotlight in the Tallahassee area.
In regards to people visiting Life of the Ambitious, Gillian wants her readers to see the different aspects of the site, saying “honestly, get exactly what you want out of it, there are so many aspects to the site. There’s inspiration for you, and some people will just come to see whose featured on the interviews.
“People see Tallahassee and the lives of students from those in the spotlight, and you only see your school from your point of view, but what about the point of views from those we don’t know? Someone who isn’t involved in clubs, an exchange student? This is a great place to find inspiration, and connect with other people who are probably really similar to you.”
Here is a list of interactive LOTA events happening this week on campus:
Monday: Informational Table at the Integration Statue
Tuesday: Splash of Color Fashion Show- Bellamy 005 @ 6 pm.
Wednesday: Table at Market Wednesday
Thursday: #ICanBeBoth Panel- A panel that talks about female culture as a whole, and the expectations of women in different positions in society. DeVoe L. Moore Center 5:30 pm
Friday: Launch Mixer- Strozier 107k
Afterparty- Coliseum, free until 11.