Meet the Student Leaders for 2016–17

Leadership opportunities are easy to find at Mary Baldwin. With more than 120 elected or appointed positions, the Student Government Association (SGA) is responsible for the management and development of the student community and is based in the principles of the college’s honor system. Every February the executive committee, various leadership board members, and class officers are elected for the following academic year. Listed below are the 2016–17 SGA Executive Committee and additional student leaders.

Megan Edwards ’17, SGA President

Edwards_MeganInvolvement and inspiration are words that the 2016–17 Student Government Association President Megan Edwards ’17 exemplifies. From the moment she stepped on campus, Edwards has participated in many aspects of Mary Baldwin life — she was a resident advisor, a senator,  she’s studied abroad, she’s helped plan Kwanzaa, and she’s even been in admissions materials. “Being a leader at Baldwin is about finding those opportunities where the work you do brings you joy and enthusiasm. For some that means playing a more supportive role on any team. No single way to be a leader is greater than another. That is the beauty of Baldwin; we develop great leaders that can lead the way in the future. Leadership is simply loving and owning what you do,” said the Richmond native. After graduation, Edwards plans to join the Peace Corps and will then go on to earn a master’s degree in intercultural communications so that she can use her skills to enhance community development both in the United States and abroad.

Aaleyah Joe, SGA Vice President and Senate President

Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher ’18, Honor Council Chair

Wossum-Fisher“Being a leader at Mary Baldwin is a position of respect and honor,” said newly elected Honor Council (HC) Chairwoman Mary Ruth Wossum-Fisher ’18. After working with the Honor Council this year and experiencing the inspiring work by previous HC chairs, Wossum-Fisher ran on the platform that communication between students and the HC needs to be stronger. After graduation she intends to work on her language skills and attend graduate school, utilizing her international affairs major and minors in anthropology and Francophone studies.

Phoenix Wilson ’17, Judicial Board Chair

Wilson_PhoenixStudent safety is Judicial Board Chairwoman Phoenix Wilson’s main focus for the 2016–17 academic year. “Judicial Board’s motto is ‘ignorance is not an excuse,’ and I would like students to understand that the Honor Code is student regulated to ensure the safety of [other] students.” This is Wilson’s first campus-wide leadership position, but she believes that being a leader at Mary Baldwin is a way to be involved in the community and “leave your mark on the place that has given you so much.” After graduation Wilson plans to get a master’s in public health and work her way to becoming a pediatrician.

Acacia Rodgers ’17, Lead Advocate

Rodgers_AcaciaMaking the Honor Council and Judicial Board trial process as stress free as possible is Junior Acacia Rodgers’s goal. She strongly wants to get the Student Advocates, of which she has been a member for two years, more active in the community so that students know the advocates are available to them. “I think being a leader at Mary Baldwin is something to take pride in. We make major decisions that impact the college, and it is not something that should be taken lightly,” said the Scottsville native. Rodgers plans to vie for a serious internship in art history or arts management after graduation.

 

Samuel Irons ’18, Baldwin Program Board Chair

Irons_SamLeadership, and more specifically, Baldwin Program Board (BPB), isn’t new to Samuel Irons. The recently elected Baldwin Program Board Chair for 2016–17 is a sophomore psychology major and has enjoyed working as treasurer this year. Attending the National Association for Campus Activities Conference in October is what inspired Irons to run for the position. “The session was about creating big change with little steps, essentially the ripple effect … I wanted to bring social programming to Mary Baldwin that was fun, engaging, and left you thinking afterward.” They are originally from Hopewell and intend to attend graduate school to become a gender psychologist. “I’m up to the challenge of creating excellent programs that make BPB the most well-known organization on campus.”

Zorina Morton ’18, Residence Hall Association Chair

Zorina_MortonWest Philadelphia native Zorina Morton ’18 believes that being Residence Hall Association (RHA) Chairwoman won’t be just a job. She loves the organization and has goals to make RHA events have a deeper meaning while still having fun. For example, “[This month] there will be an alcohol awareness event that will be educational while also entertaining. My stand is that fun doesn’t need to be sacrificed while learning.” Morton, a healthcare administration major with an emphasis in public health, plans to work for a public health department in the future. Her dream job is to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Madeleine Stout ’17, Inter-Club Council Chair

Stout_MadeleinAs a club president, Madeleine Stout ’17 knew that education, communication, and information are important to make Inter-Club Council successful. She aims to better organize and educate club officers and their duties and wants to strengthen the relationship between the clubs and the ICC. “Through my time spent as a leader on this campus I have gained useful skills that will continue to aid me after I graduate,” said the international affairs major. After graduation Stout plans to attend graduate school and hopefully work for the State Department as a foreign service officer.

Baldwin Program Board
Chair: Samuel Irons
Vice Chair: Annapurna Chitnavis
Secretary: Maame-Yaa Agyeman Asare

Residence Hall Association Board
Chair: Zorina Morton
Secretary: Maria Torres-Trujilo

Honor Council
Chair: Mary Ruth Wossum-Fishers
Niranjana Menon
Asia Vizcaya

Judicial Board
Chair: Phoenix Wilson
Alexandra Carther
Christine Fenner
Virginia King
Qadira Muhammad
Brooke Wiles

Student Advocates
Lead Advocate: Acacia Rodgers
Dianna Tran

Class of 2017
President: Rashadea Hale
Vice President: Kelsey Allen
Treasurer: Jasmine Davis

Class of 2018
President: Binetou Niang
Secretary: Jamilet Cordon
Treasurer: Dorothy Hawkins

Class of 2019
President: Sage Wyatt
Vice President: Alexandra Carther
Treasurer: Niranjana Menon