What drew you to studying political science and human rights studies at UNC Asheville?
I was really drawn to the small but powerful community on campus that embraces differences and fosters a sense of belonging on campus. I knew as soon as I saw these traits, that it was something I wanted to protect and preserve. Moreover, because of these characteristics, I knew that the political science and human rights studies programs here would be just as fascinating and engaging to be a part of, and I was not disappointed.
These fields of study drew me in as someone who wants to learn how to better advocate for people on not just a campus-wide scale, but eventually a national (or even international) scale — and I figured learning how our government and judicial system works while delving into our history with human rights would aid in that aspiration. Thus, I knew going into college that I wanted to focus on those programs, and then the atmosphere of UNC Asheville was just so complimentary to these fields that I couldn't pass it up.
How did you get involved in SGA and what made you want to run for president?
I actually got involved in SGA during my first semester on campus as I always regretted not getting involved during high school, especially with my zeal for advocacy work. I wanted to jump on the opportunity as soon as I got here.
I really wanted to be a conduit for my peers to ensure their voices are heard and respected. Universities wouldn't exist without the student body, so I find it imperative to fight for students' rights, ideas, and concerns to make sure the UNC Asheville experience is everything it needs to be to guarantee their success here and beyond.
I don't want to leave this university without making a positive impact. Change and progress is a necessary part of growth, and I want to be a force of such change to pave a brighter future for all who pass through here.
What are some of the goals you have for your time as president?
My main goals and platform as Student Body President center around empowerment, advocacy, and transparency. More specifically, I hope and plan to empower students to cast informed votes through civic engagement efforts, advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, accessibility, and sustainability initiatives on campus, and then ensure that both SGA and the administration are held accountable through transparency measures.
I want to strive to make this campus truly equitable, affirming, and welcoming for all students to ensure that they can flourish in their educational journey. I firmly believe that it's harder to succeed, especially in higher education, if you can't first feel secure and uplifted.
What are you most excited for this academic year?
I'm super excited for the Semester of Civics, which is a themed semester on campus that I and a few other student leaders advocated for last academic year. It's an administrative-backed and funded semester dedicated to civic engagement, democracy, civil discourse on campus, and voter registration and education in the lead up to this year's major election.
I'm really passionate about getting out the student and youth vote. This semester means a lot to me, and I'm thrilled to see it finally coming to fruition after all the hard work I and many others put into it. I'm hoping to see a lot of student engagement!
Who is someone on campus who inspires you and why?
I would have to say it's a draw between two professors for me — Ashley Moraguez and Mark Gibney, both of whom are in the political science department (and I'm not just saying this to butter them up).
Professor Moraguez has been tirelessly working for years to make our campus one of the top-ranked nationally for students who are registered to vote and then actually turn out to vote, making us one of the most politically active and engaged campuses. Her efforts have inspired me to become the advocate I am now, and hopefully will be in the future as well, for getting my generation and students as a whole informed about elections and subsequently getting them out to vote.
As for Professor Gibney, he has been a beacon for where I aspire to be in terms of his career as an accomplished human rights attorney. He has aided me immensely both in and out of the classroom in terms of helping me grow in this field by encouraging me to take on amazing new opportunities that I would not have had otherwise with groups like Inclusive Development International, who I'm currently interning with.
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