Student Government Association (SGA) elections were held this week, and the student body elected Summer White ’18 as SGA president, Kahlil Epps ’18 as vice president of student affairs (VPSA) and Misha Gelnarova ’18 as vice president of academic affairs (VPAA).
White has been a part of SGA since her first year at Grinnell. The second semester of her first year, she became senator of her cluster and went on to become assistant treasurer of SGA her second year and treasurer this past year.
In addition to working for SGA, White is a Posse scholar from DC majoring in political science and concentrating in policy studies. She is a first-generation college student, a member of the diving team and an activist for public health and social justice, who attributes her accomplishments to persistence and dedication.
Combining her SGA knowledge from being involved with three different SGA cabinets and her commitment to advocating for students’ needs, White intends to promote comprehensive and accessible health, increase accessibility on campus, push campus safety, clarify self-governance and cater to diversity.
“I will remain committed to representing the student body by advocating for our interests, maintaining open channels of communication, and addressing existing and new concerns as they arise. … I also believe it would be helpful for us to thoughtfully reexamine Grinnell College’s values, how we are embodying them currently, and collaboratively plan and implement ways to further integrate them into the fabric of what it means to be part of Grinnell,” White wrote in an email to The S&B.
White is not the only executive with extensive SGA experience, though, because Epps has also been involved in many SGA committees and working groups, including the VPSA working group in the 2015-16 school year. Epps is the president of Concerned Black Students (CBS) and has experience promoting students’ interest through the planning of events and the organizing of groups of people.
Epps ran for VPSA last year, his third year, but was not successful. Through his work on that campaign and the VPSA working group, he feels he knows what should be done by a VPSA and how to do it. Some of his priorities include retaining a culturally competent therapist, creating a new dining plan, fixing student appliances such as washing machines, and coordinating campus traditions in an improved way.
“In my three years attending Grinnell I have seen things that work and things that do not work. I believe that my past and current positions and opportunities have given me the adequate knowledge and willpower to take on this role and move the student body forward to a better future,” Epps wrote in an email to The S&B.
Gelnarova’s experiences during her time at Grinnell, like Epps’s, have given her insight about ways to do well in her new role. Gelnarova is an independent major, and she highlighted the importance of knowing what it’s like to focus her studies on a topic that Grinnell does not have a program for. She wants to advocate for students who are pushing for new classes and department directions.
Gelnarova also emphasized cooperation between students, faculty and administration, because having various courses and well-established professors are things that benefit everyone at this college, and it is what the student body asks for. She also plans to foster student-professor relationships, limit stress during finals, encourage alumni and students to connect and increase publicity about course-embedded travel opportunities.
“My first actions as VPAA [will] be to start working immediately with the SEPCs and departments that have been voicing their needs for new faculty, additional course options and so on,” Gelnarova said. “I am well aware that this is a process that will take a long time, therefore, coming up with more short-term solutions and options will be my priority as well.”
These three SGA executive cabinet elects are excited to to take on these roles and begin working to implement the plans they have been campaigning for a chance to make reality.
