By: Tre Wallace
As a member of the Board, I would have to say that this experience was truly powerful and rewarding. As a second-year student, trying to find ways to become more involved made me think about joining a club or even going to an event. I would never have thought to join a legitimate Board of Directors and be given the chance to apart of impactful decision-making on behalf of a community that consists of over 21,000 students.
When I first found out about the Board, I was excited because it seemed like an influential position to hold. I thought that this would be a great opportunity to provide an input to decisions that would make a significant difference on how students receive a “college experience”. I knew that the Student Union held a great influence in providing that social aspect to student life on campus and I being able to part of that process would, in turn, allow for me to contribute some great ideas.
On the flip side, I was definitely nervous! I figured that I would have to campaign thus having to jump into people’s faces saying “Vote for me” and of course having to be up against other candidates that want the same position as I. That alone made me second guess the decision I was making as I went out looking for signatures. However, I must say that the Union has this kind of “pull” if you call it. The entire team is full of dedicated individuals who are all for student engagement. From big events to hallway campaigns, I definitely noticed that the SU always has something to offer students and it felt good to participate in fun and creative activities outside of the classroom. I think that in itself was an extra push that made me feel that I was making a sound decision in joining a team of talented individuals who share the same goal as I do; providing new and exciting ways to better enhance student life at Sheridan.
Fast forward just a few months later and here we are! Through our countless meetings, we as a board have been providing our input on any and every decision that affect students including ourselves. From the Shuttle Bus to Health and Dental and even funding, these topics may seem small but they happen to impact all students in ways that we wouldn’t even imagine. Even public transportation and whether or not we should pursue a universal pass, was a topic up for discussion. This was one of the topics that I had campaigned on because I heard that this may be something that students would want to consider. The fact that we as a board agreed upon holding a referendum for students to vote on whether or not they want a U-pass, was a huge accomplishment as this will allow for the student population to place their input on where they stand.
I think this post is long enough so I’m definitely going to end it off by saying thank you guys for allowing me to be a representative for your voice. I truly believe that this experience helped me a lot with my leadership skills, communication skills and of course it feels nice to say that I was once on a Board. I definitely encourage any student who is thinking about it to run in the next elections! You’ll realize just how fun it can be and the benefits that come with the creative opportunities through such a position.
Thank you for the opportunity and don’t forget to vote!
-Tre Wallace, SSU Board of Directors