Class of 2026, Political Science with a minor in Spanish
Hometown | Worcester, MA
Campus Involvement | Intercultural Student Alliance, Student Senate Secretary of Diversity and Multiculturalism, Orientation Leader,

Brandol Ogando-Saladin

Can you describe the role of the Student Trustee? What do they do for the student body?
The Student Trustee serves as the voice of the student body on the Board of Trustees – bringing forward student concerns, perspectives, and ideas and ensuring decisions reflect student needs. It’s about being a bridge between students and university leadership so students have a seat at the table when important choices are made. The Student Trustee also attends SGA meetings as a guest and non-voting member, which provides another opportunity to stay connected and involved with student concerns at a more direct level.

What are some goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
I want to strengthen communication between students and the administration so students feel informed and included in decisions. I aim to elevate underrepresented voices in campus conversations and support initiatives that improve student life and success through resources, support systems, and meaningful opportunities for engagement.

What are some of the challenges you could face in this position?
Balancing the diverse needs of our student body can be challenging because priorities do not always align. Students come from many different backgrounds, with unique goals and concerns, and it is not always easy to represent everyone equally at the same time. Another challenge is making sure students feel heard and that their input is valued in decision-making. It takes time and effort to build trust between students and leadership, and part of this role is making sure those conversations remain open and meaningful.

What do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope students remember me as someone who listened, was approachable, and worked hard to represent them. I also hope to be remembered as a leader who helped make the campus more inclusive and connected.

What advice would you give to students just beginning to explore the type of leader they hope to become?
Say yes to opportunities, even small ones, because every experience helps you grow. The kind of leader you become is shaped by the relationships you build, the challenges you face, and the values you choose to stand by. My advice is to stay open to growth, seek out mentors and peers who inspire you, and remember that leadership is ultimately about service and making a positive impact on the people around you.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
I plan on pursuing a master’s degree to continue building my knowledge and skills, and then I want to pursue a career in diplomacy and international relations. My goal is to work on issues that affect both our country and the broader global community, such as security, human rights, and sustainable development.

The post Meet Brandol Ogando-Saladin, Student Trustee appeared first on Campus Life.

Class of 2025, Psychology, minor in Spanish and Pre-Law
Hometown | Clinton, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, Tour Guide, Presidential Student Ambassador, Honors Program

Lilian Sydow, SGA President

Can you describe the role of the SGA President? What do they do for the student body?
Two of the SGA President’s main roles are to run weekly Senate meetings in an orderly fashion, and to connect students with administrators and faculty who can assist them in their academic journeys. Within the student body, the SGA President is responsible for making sure the needs of the students are heard by administration, and not just their personal needs.

What are some goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
While in this position, I hope to bring more awareness to what decisions are being made and what is going on around campus. I was unaware of so many decisions being made at the administrative level before joining SGA, and my ultimate goal is to provide everyone with the same access to the information as other members and I have.

What are some of the challenges you could face in this position?
Worcester State is an extremely diverse campus, and every student here is unique. That being said, it may be difficult to satisfy everyone when advocating for what the majority of students want. Also, relating to my main goal, it may be difficult to give all students the same access to information because not everyone uses the same methods of communication.

What do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope they remember my work ethic and my determination to help them be heard in all areas  around campus. I also hope students will remember my approachability. My job is to listen to  students and express their opinions, and I can’t effectively do that if I’m not approachable to them!

What advice would you give to students just beginning to explore the type of leader they hope to become?My biggest piece of advice: Don’t sell yourself short. You can’t reach your full potential if you aren’t reaching for it, and you’ll never know what you are capable of if you don’t try your best. It can be difficult at times, and it might feel like a lot on your plate, but growth isn’t always comfortable! It’s a bit clichĂ©, but if you struggle or don’t succeed the first time, TRY AGAIN! Worcester State is filled with people who want to help you succeed, and they are all so supportive! Never be afraid to reach out for help!

What are your current plans for the next few years?
After graduating from Worcester State, I am planning to go to law school. I’m hoping to pursue civil law, specializing in either family or immigration law!

The post Meet Lilian Sydow, SGA President appeared first on Campus Life.

Class of 2025, Communications major with a concentration in Digital Media Production
Hometown | Worcester, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, 2025 Class Committee, Photography Club

Kyram Pou, Student Trustee

Can you describe the role of the SGA President? What do they do for the student body?
The Student Trustee is a representative elected by the student body to act as a liaison for both the students and the Board of Trustees. The Student Trustee ensures that a collective voice from the students is heard at the Board of Trustee Meetings, and also engages in rigorous conversations that determine the future of the university as a whole.

What are some goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
Firstly, my biggest goal is to make sure our students are seen, heard, comfortable, and can thrive in our Worcester State environment without worrying about barriers that other students typically face during their four years of college, like food insecurity and representation. I want to create a space where students can feel like their voices are heard. I have high hopes of doing some civic engagement events in collaboration with the Worcester Student Government Association to motivate our students to put their voices out there, beyond Worcester State!

What are some of the challenges you could face in this position?
A challenge for myself (and for anyone, really) is definitely getting students together to create change. In one of my classes I took this past semester, Independent Media and Society, I learned that one of the biggest outlets for change begins with bringing a group of people together, to become more seen and heard. This is a challenge I hope to overcome this year.

What do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope my fellow students remember me as one of the many Student Trustees who put students before themselves. Each elected Student Trustee makes sure that the students of Worcester State feel like they can thrive in their space, which is what will make me feel accomplished at the end of the year when I look back. 

What advice would you give to students just beginning to explore the type of leader they hope to become?
My biggest piece of advice to students who want to make in impact on Worcester State is to always “just do it,” even if you don’t really get as far as you want to. It’s normal to always start small, it’s just a matter of starting.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
After graduation, I want to get a Master’s Degree in Digital Media Management. I hope to work in the media industry since that has always been my passion. Aside from the media industry, I have always had an interest in Urban Planning and Accounting. Although these are very different career paths, Digital Media Management is definitely my go-to.

The post Meet Kyram Pou, Student Trustee appeared first on Campus Life.

Class of 2025, Criminal Justice & Psychology, minor in Philosophy
Hometown | Paxton, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, Criminal Justice Club, Tour Guide, CJ Department clerical assistant, Orientation Leader, Presidential Student Ambassador, 2025 Class Committee, Honors Program

Lily Morgan, SGA President

Can you describe the role of the SGA President? What do they do for the student body?
The SGA President is the face of the Senate and oversees its operation. The SGA President is often the voice of the student body to the administration as well, sharing concerns and ideas that they gathered from the Senate meetings. The SGA President is there for the students. 

What are some goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
I hope to increase student engagement on campus, both with our student organizations and within our administration. Through this, I hope to increase the student voice within important conversations on our campus.

What are some of the challenges you could face in this position?
I foresee that recruitment will be a challenge, as it has been a recurring challenge in all student organizations post-pandemic. 

What do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope my fellow students will remember me being a friendly face on campus. Someone that they were not afraid to share their concerns with and that I helped them with their issues. As a student leader on campus, I want to be able to help the students to the best of my ability and hope to be remembered for this. 

What advice would you give to students just beginning to explore the type of leader they hope to become?
Get involved on campus. Go to a club meeting or an event, get to know other students there. You do not need to be involved in everything to make an impact on campus. Just going to a club meeting and participating is impacting that club for the better.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
I am attending law school. I am not exactly sure where yet, but I am currently in my application process, so we will see during the year where I end up going.

The post Meet Lily Morgan, SGA President appeared first on Campus Life.

Kyram Pou

How did you get involved in campus life? What advice would you give to students who haven’t yet found their place on campus?
When I transferred to Worcester State as a sophomore, I immediately knew what I wanted to be a part of. I always seek to be a change in my community, so I immediately joined the Intercultural Student Alliance (formerly known as Third World Alliance) to bring a sense of community and belonging to underrepresented students who don’t have much of a voice for themselves in their community. A piece of advice I would give to students who haven’t yet found their “people/place” on campus is: make your own place if you don’t see it. Don’t be afraid to mark your territory on what you are standing on. If you do not feel comfortable, make yourself comfortable. Make connections with current student leaders to see how you can help bring the change you want to see within your community.

How do you think you’ve changed as a leader throughout your time at WSU, and what aspects of your experience most influenced this change?
I began looking at Worcester State as a whole and realized I would like to help be the voice for all students, so I ended up joining the Student Senate. I immediately became a class of 2025 Senator, and was recommended to obtain the role of Treasurer. Over the course of my sophomore year, I began to make lots of friends which resulted in me wanting to pursue more leadership roles, like being an Orientation Leader. While being an Orientation Leader, I made more friends like myself who are leaders, which opened more doors for student networking opportunities at Worcester State. Making friends definitely plays a role in leadership change because more opportunities open and you begin to have more of a bird’s eye view of life at Worcester State.

What is the biggest lesson you have learned when it comes to leadership?
When it comes to leadership, I have been surrounded by different people. I’ve learned how to blend myself in with people of different backgrounds, cultures, preferences, and so on, and there’s so much more to learn. It’s important to take into consideration that not everyone will be the same as you so it’s important for you to take those first steps and make those connections because no one will do it for you. Each leader has different leadership styles and traits which makes them who they are, which is something I have been able to adapt to.

What would you say has been your best experience here at WSU?
My best experience at Worcester State is definitely being a student leader. There are so many different clubs I have been a part of, and there are more that I would like to be involved in. Each club has a different focus so I am always learning something new from each club, whether that is the Intercultural Student Alliance, Student Government Association, Photography Club, and so on. I have learned how to expand my leadership skills as well as my interpersonal skills beyond my typical lecture-style classroom, and I have been able to exert the skills I have accumulated throughout my time at Worcester State to real-world situations which I am more than appreciative of.

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader, or the type of person, they hope to become?
Never be afraid to make your mark. College is about YOU so you need to take those first steps to see the change you want to see in your community!

What are your current plans for the next few years?
For the next few years, I plan to obtain a Master’s Degree in Communication. Currently, there have been lots of schools I have been eyeing and I have faith that I will get into the school I really want to get into!

The post Student Spotlight | Kyram Pou appeared first on Campus Life.

Student Trustee Kaitlin Schott

Class of 2024, Business Administration with a concentration in management and a minor in economics
Hometown | Southampton, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Government Association, Asian Cultural “Boba” Club, Academic Judicial Board, Conference and Event Services Office employee

Can you describe the role of the Student Trustee? What do they do for the student body?
The Student Trustee brings a student perspective to the Board of Trustees. This way, the board has an understanding of what Worcester State is like from a student point of view, not an administrative one.

What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
My goal is to attend more major organization and special interest group events and general meetings. I want to be able to interact with more students. I think it’s important to get any type of feedback from my peers that I can, so I can be as informative at board meetings as possible.

What do you foresee as some of the challenges you could face in this position?
Some of the challenges that I foresee in this position is not being able to attend as many events and meetings as I would like. Going into my senior year, I have a lot coming up between classes, homework, work, SGA, and board meetings. However, I am optimistic that between two semesters, I’ll be able to accomplish my goals!

At the end of the year, looking back, what do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope fellow students remember that I did my best to represent the student body. I also hope that students remember that I really cared about this position and helping the Worcester State community.

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader or the type of person they hope to become?
Be open to new experiences and don’t shy away from opportunities that are presented to you. This is the time to explore the type of person you want to be and take advantage of it while you can.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
I want to find somewhere to work in the business management field. I’ve been considering hospitality as well as event planning, but nothing is set in stone.

The post Meet Kaitlin Schott, Student Trustee appeared first on Campus Life.

SGA President Nicholas Holm

Class of 2024, History & Political Science
Hometown | Westford, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, Worcester State Foundation Board, Conference and Event Services Office employee

Can you describe the role of the SGA President? What do they do for the student body?
The SGA President oversees the operations of the Student Senate, and coordinates with administration to advocate for student interests.

What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
Reintroduce reliable funding sources to enable special interest groups; re-establish relationships between the Worcester State SGA and other Worcester area college SGAs; establish more reliable lines of communication between the student body and university administration.

What do you foresee as some of the challenges you could face in this position?
Post-pandemic recruitment has been a challenge for all student organizations. Both recruiting new members for Senate and helping smaller organizations reach new members has been reoccurring challenge.

At the end of the year, looking back, what do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I hope they remember me as the president who brought normalcy back to the SGA. This year is going to be the first year without any pandemic-related impediments, and I want to make sure that this year makes up for the ones people missed.

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader or the type of person they hope to become?
Don’t be afraid to try things. I joined Senate because someone sitting at a table outside of the POD yelled at me to come vote. I wrote myself in, not even knowing what I was voting for. Sometimes not knowing what you’re getting yourself into is the best way to discover new things.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
I would like to live abroad for a bit. Last summer I went to Europe and really liked being there. 

The post Meet Nick Holm, SGA President appeared first on Campus Life.

Emma Polak

Class of 2024, Biology major
Hometown | Ware, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, Presidential Student Ambassador, Hiking Club

Can you describe the role of the Student Trustee? What do they do for the student body?
As the Student Trustee, it is my job to represent the student body on the Board of Trustees. It is my responsibility to listen to students, and bring concerns to the Board of Trustees attention as well as to bring helpful information back from the Board of Trustees back to the student body.

What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
During my time as Student Trustee, I hope to leave a positive impact on Worcester State as well as to empower students and make them feel represented and seen.

What do you foresee as some of the challenges you could face in this position?
This position is a serious commitment, and on top of being a full-time student, it requires you to be organized, punctual, thoughtful/mindful, and social. Although this role will challenge me, I think that keeping organized, working hard, and remaining dedicated implicating positive change here at Worcester State will allow me to do well as Student Trustee. 

At the end of the year, looking back, what do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
At the end of the year, looking back, I hope that my fellow students remember me as a hard-working, fair, and strong woman. 

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader, or the type of person, they hope to become?
My advice to anyone who is just beginning to start their leadership journey, say yes. Say yes to new opportunities, new connections, and new experiences. They say that the first step is always the hardest, but if you can take that first step out of your comfort zone, you’ll be on your way to being a better leader!

What are your current plans for the next few years?
In the future, I hope to graduate from Worcester State with my biology degree. From there, I am working towards working in a lab doing research, likely in the field of Genetics.

The post Meet Emma Polak, Student Trustee appeared first on Campus Life.

Class of 2023, Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health Services, minor in Public Health
Hometown | Shrewsbury, MA
Campus Involvement | Student Senate, Women’s Cross Country Team, Women’s Track Team, 2023 Class Committee, Resident Assistant, Circles of Leadership, Orientation Leader

Erica Hanlon, SGA President

Can you describe the role of the SGA President? What do they do for the student body
The SGA President collaborates with the student senate and the rest of the student body to represent our student population and advocate for student needs. The SGA President attends various meetings with administration, alumni, and students to be a voice for the student body.

What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
One of my goals is to add a new aspect to the student senate in which each senator will have a focus group on campus to receive feedback from and offer support to. Another goal I have is to increase community outreach through creating opportunities for students to donate to and support the greater Worcester area. Overall, I aim to be an approachable and helpful person for all WSU students.

What do you foresee as some of the challenges you could face in this position?
A challenge I foresee in this position is not being able to please everyone, as there will be many different opinions among our student body, and I will need to do my best to represent as many students as possible as well as my own beliefs.

At the end of the year, looking back, what do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
At the end of the year, I hope my fellow students will remember me as someone who was genuine, welcoming, helpful, and action-oriented.

What advice would you give to students who are just beginning to explore the type of leader, or the type of person, they hope to become?
My key piece of advice is to push yourself to follow what interests you regardless of anyone else’s opinion. If you are thinking about trying something new or stepping up to be in a leadership position, just try for it! No one is judging you and any endeavor for your own personal growth is well worth any potential nerves.

What are your current plans for the next few years?
After graduation, I hope to work as a Resident Director at a university while taking graduate classes for my Master’s in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. I also hope to adopt a dog and travel

The post Meet Erica Hanlon, SGA President appeared first on Campus Life.

Class of 2022, Sociology with Pre-Law minor
Hometown | Worcester, MA
Campus Involvement | Third World Alliance, Presidential Student Ambassador, Academic Policy Governance Committee, Bias Incident Response Team, Open Educational Resources Student Ambassador
Community Involvement | MA Board of Higher Education New Undergraduate Education steering committee, Worcester World Cup steering committee

Can you describe the role of the Student Trustee? What do they do for the student body?
My role as Student Trustee is to bring student’s ideas, concerns, and perspectives [to the full Board of Trustees]. My duty is to help make important decisions that will affect the student body and the campus as a whole. [I also] protect the voices of the student body, their interests, and their rights, and make sure that every decision or vote I take is in the best interest of [all] students.

Last year I wrote a proposal to the board requesting a Student Trustee speaking spot on every meeting agenda, something the board never had before.  The proposal was presented to the full board [and approved]; what this does is give me and future Student Trustees the space to bring everyday student’s thoughts, ideas, and concerns to [each meeting].

I also sat on a committee with two other board members and a few Worcester State administrators to help improve diversity within the [Board of Trustees membership]. What this committee did first was diversify the board sub-committees bylaws and provide space each board meeting where different offices and committees can present on [the work they are doing to support] diversity and inclusion on campus.  I also voted to approve the fee freeze which allows the fees to remain the same through the 2021-2022 school year with no additional increase.

What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish while in this position?
I hope to see student interest and benefit in every decision the board makes. 

What do you foresee as some of the challenges you could face in this position?
Like most things in life, it is hard to meet everyone expectations, so a challenge  I foresee is that sometimes I might have to make decisions that might not be in the best interest of every student. But I am going to always make sure that I seek student’s opinions from all over campus before voting or being a part of a  [board decision].

At the end of the year, looking back, what do you hope your fellow students remember about you?
I believe that not every student views or sees me in the same way; some may find my advocacy annoying while others may find it brave or inspiring. Asking people to remember me from my perspective will not be fair to student’s and their opinions, but all I can do is to keep striving to be better and allow my actions to help students to remember me from their point of view. Overall I hope students remember me for my passion to speak up for others and against injustices.

What advice would you give to students who want to make an impact on Worcester State?
I would tell them to never be afraid to speak up, or to take a stand, and to go for what they want without holding back. They  should be resilient, willing, and committed  to whatever it is [that helps them to] make an impact.

What are your current plans for after graduation?
My goal is to go to law school to help find justice for the underrepresented populations in my country and community.

Read more about Anna Johnson in our 2020 Student Spotlight post.

The post Meet Anna Johnson, Student Trustee appeared first on Campus Life.