Leading through Serving
My oath: “I, Carley Ward, understand that my position as a Student Body President is of great importance to the University of Jamestown. I will strive to represent the opinions and views of the students of the University of Jamestown to the best of my abilities and bring forth their concerns to the rest of the Senate. I will read, understand, and abide by the Student Senate Constitution and Bylaws and hold myself to the standards set forth by the preamble of the bylaws of Student Senate.”
It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten months since I began my journey as Student Body President, and honestly, it has been a challenging and exhilarating journey.
Being Student Body President definitely has its perks; such as meeting with the University President and the Cabinet every semester and coming face-to-face with many of the generous donors and alumni on the Board of Trustees. As Student Body President and as a student, it is humbling to see them give so much of their time and money to a place that at one time or another they too called home. They have provided millions of dollars in donations for everything on this campus from scholarships to our new athletic arena. They truly care what we, the students, want. Working as a team we are all here for the same cause: to make this university the best it can be.
Being President is also so much more than fancy meetings and working with administration. Being Student Body President allows me to give back to a place I have come to call home over the past four years. I love it here; I love the people, this campus, and being a Jimmie. I love working for the students of the University of Jamestown. As President, I have a first-hand perspective for what students need/want to see from this university. I get to hear the concerns of my fellow peers and work with them to come up with a solution.
Furthermore, I enjoy working with each of our twenty-seven senators to make this campus great. I’ve gotten to know so many students from all aspects of campus because of Student Senate. Come into any of our Senate meetings and you will see the passion and drive every senator has to make this campus better. Student Senate isn’t just a complaint center, but an idea box for progress and innovation. We tabled in the Student Engagement Center to hear your concerns about food service. We provided the “Best Seat in the House” at our men and women’s basketball games to promote school spirit. We have office hours in our Senate Office for you to come meet with us. The bottom line is that we, as Student Senators are here for you.
When I first walked on campus I never could have guessed how much this place would come to mean to me. My time as Student Body President has allowed me to give back to a place that has given me so much. If you have ever felt the need to get involved at UJ or to do more for others, I encourage you to join Student Senate. Although you are only one person, you can become a part of something so much bigger. You will not regret it! I know I didn’t.
