Many of the students elected to Student Government Association (SGA) for 2017–18 are already rising stars within the Mary Baldwin University community. Find out what inspires them to seek a leadership role on campus.
President
Binetou Niang ’18 is studying abroad in Thailand.
Vice President
When it comes to her new role as SGA Vice President, NyErica Young ’18 says, “challenge accepted.” The former Inter-Club Council Vice Chairwoman said her classmates inspired her to run for office. “I [wanted] to begin collaborating with student leaders to make our campus a better, safer, and a more enjoyable place for our students,” Young said. With the belief that the legacy begins with her but ends with someone else, Young felt compelled to create a richer path for future student leaders. Calling herself a trailblazer, Young hopes to lead with a vision that she hopes will be part of a bigger solution and that standing for something is critical to success. Young, who hails from Miami, is majoring in both economics and political science, and plans to attend law school and eventually help ex-felons restore their rights as citizens.
Secretary
Madison Miller ’18 was never involved in student government prior to college, but during her MBU career, Miller has been no stranger to campus leadership. Since her freshmen year, she has served the SGA in some capacity, including as a Senator, and for the past two years as Senate Parliamentarian and Honor Council Representative. Being a student representative seemed a daunting task at first, Miller said, but found it is worth the hard work. “I think being a student leader at Mary Baldwin is a rewarding experience, and if anyone’s curious about student leadership, it’s definitely something I recommend that they try out.” The student from North Carolina is seeking degrees in marketing communications and political science with a minor in creative writing. She is not ruling out law school, and hopes to run for public office one day.
Treasurer
Kirsten Goodman ’18 is no rookie when it comes to holding office on the Mary Baldwin campus. Some of her more notable positions include vice president and president of Black Student Alliance. “I wanted to run for [SGA Treasurer] because I wanted to ensure that the process for allocating funding to clubs is done meticulously and fairly,” the Richmond native said. According to Goodman, being a leader means learning how to follow before you can lead, adding “being able and willing to learn from others is a large part of leadership that has shaped me into the leader I am today.” Goodman is a health science major and plans to attend graduate school for physical therapy.
Baldwin Program Board Chair
Annapurna Chitnavis ’18 has been passionate about Baldwin Program Board (BPB) since her freshmen year at MBU. At the beginning of her college career she frequently volunteered at BPB events, something she enjoyed and eventually hoped to lead. The Arizona native ran for Chair, seeking to increase student engagement. “My goal is to gain more input from the student body to ensure that BPB is hosting events that the students really want,” Chitnavis said. “This will hopefully result in an increase in attendance and student body engagement.” The biochemistry major plans to attend medical school after graduation and her ultimate goal is to become a surgeon.
Honor Council Chair
Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher ’18 is a seasoned veteran on the 2017–18 executive committee, having served as Honor Council Chair for two academic years in a row. “I wanted to continue my work on the board because I felt that I would be able to accomplish more with a year of experience already behind me,” the Pulaski, Tennessee, native said. Fisher described being a leader on campus as both challenging and rewarding. A double major in anthropology and international affairs with a minor in Francophone studies, Fisher prioritizes her responsibilities and is used to multi-tasking. After graduation she plans to continue her education on the graduate level in applied anthropology.
Inter-Club Council (ICC) Chair
Ariel Robinson ’18 takes pride in her previous role as Inter-Club Council Treasurer, and it was through her experience in that position that she felt compelled to take on the role of ICC Chair. Inspired by family and friends seek office, Robinson ran on the platform of promising to improve the functionality of club rush and to get all clubs involved in conducting activities for the wider campus. “My thoughts on being a leader at MBU is striving to improve the social well-being of Baldwin residents,” the Richmond native said. After graduating with a degree in psychology with an emphasis in family/marriage counseling and a minor in business, Robinson is planning to pursue a career in psychology and one day opening her own practice. Passionate about fashion, Robinson also plans on further exploring ventures involving that interest after graduation as well.
Judicial Board Chair
Serving as the Treasurer for the Class of 2019 in the past and as a member of the Honor Council, Niranjana Menon ’19 says she has always treasured the opportunity to assist in making campus life more enjoyable for her peers. Menon has promised to assist members of Mary Baldwin to have a peaceful and enjoyable transition to university, with a goal to reaffirm and uphold the standards of the Judicial Board over the coming academic year. The native of India is pursuing an economics degree with a double minor in mathematics and psychology, and, after graduation, plans to earn a graduate degree in applied economics and work in developmental aid organizations.
Lead Advocate
Adele Cox ’18 may not have held a campus-wide office before; however, the newly elected Lead Advocate meets that challenge head on. Originally from Galax, Cox said she is motivated as a student leader by the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless on the Mary Baldwin campus. With a double major in criminal justice and sociology, Cox is used to juggling multiple responsibilities. The example set by past student leaders drive Cox to encourage other students to run for office: “It’s important to me to let the underdogs out there know that they can do something like this too.”
Resident Hall Association (RHA) Chair
Zorina Morton ’18 will continue her service in SGA as Chairwoman of the Residence Hall Association for the second year. After falling in love with her role as hall president her sophomore year, Morton decided to further her involvement in RHA. Her past experience has led her to advocate for more events on campus that have deeper meaning while still having fun. “My stand is that fun doesn’t need to be sacrificed while learning,” said Morton, who is from West Philadelphia. Serving on the Executive Committee can be a challenge, Morton said, but that she believes in herself and her abilities and is excited to continue in the upcoming academic year. Upon graduation, Morton will have earned her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration with an emphasis on public health. Her goal is to earn her master’s degree in disaster medicine and management and her dream job is to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.