Today we’d like to introduce you to Logan Dickson.
Hi Logan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve loved the sport and art of fishing since I was a small child, so when I started my collegiate journey, I joined UCF Reel Knights as a member in 2019. Although I was a member, I was active in my sophomore year, The club at the time was massive (100+ members), and through the spring of 2020, it remained very strong. But, like the rest of the world, when UCF closed its doors during the pandemic. We were struck and lost many of our members. We lost around 60-70% of the members, but even though many were not about to attend, I still was there to help hold what events we could have and joined the club board that year. At the school year’s end, Nick Inguaggiato and I were approached by the current leaders to inform us that they wanted us to be the leadership of Reel Knights going forward. Nick and I were honored at the opportunity to take on such a challenge. I was Nick’s VP that following year, and I learned all the behind-the-scenes work it takes to run Reel Knights successfully; what a learning experience. From meeting our sponsors to planning our calendar, it was a crash course in what to do and what not to do. That year was a success as we had gotten our membership back up around that 100-member benchmark set in years previous. Now come the end of that year and I decided that for my senior year, I wanted to be President of Reel Knights, and I wanted to take everything I had learned and the connections I made to make this year the most incredible year for Reel Knights that we have had in many years. So far, I have built an astonishing board around me, made more connections in the fishing industry, and brought new sponsors on board. Although it has not been flawless in execution, I am proud of how it has gone so far, and I’m optimistic for an excellent rest of our academic year.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
It certainly has been a challenging road. Even my introduction to leadership of the club was shrouded in difficulties due to Covid. Supply chain shortages made it difficult for us to order our annual club shirts last year. Weather is a big obstacle for us all the time, as almost all of our events are based outside; trying to dodge Florida rain storms is very tricky, and recently, Hurricane Ian forced us to cancel two events that we had planned. So, it has been bumpy, but we have been able to pivot and adapt to what each situation calls for.
We’ve been impressed with UCF Reel Knights, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
UCF Reel Knights are the fishing club here at UCF. We specialize in making a large university feel smaller through our shared passions for fishing, the outdoors, and exploration. We give back to our student body through sponsored items, social events, camping/fishing trips, tailgates, guest speakers, etc. We also know that we are the next generation of stewards of our environment. So we have developed relationships with non-profit organizations, such as CCA, and partner with them to implement environmental restoration projects in our area to ensure that we will have the same resources for the following generations to enjoy as we do now. We are the most extensive college fishing club in the state of Florida and are one of the largest in the nation. I’m most proud of our reputation and roots in the fishing industry, many companies already know who we are, and most are excited to work with us. I want the readers to know that clubs like ours become like a small family of college students. If you are in college and are daunted by the sheer amount of new people, or want to explore your options in different industries, follow your passions and join clubs like us, the benefits are far deeper than just discounts to some of your favorite brands.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I have learned in my time leading Reel Knights is that passion does work, not feel like work.
Contact Info:
- Website: ucffishingclub.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucf_reelknights/?hl=en
