Ava Compagnoni (avcompagnoni@ursinus.edu)
Student body president Jalen Everette has served two consecutive terms and has been successful in his endeavours. Having faced more abnormal challenges than presidents before him, Jalen has been working tirelessly for the past seventeen months. As he tackles meetings, classes, difficult conversations, and a college social life, Jalen has his hands full but manages to get it all done.
Jalen has helped realize the true potential of the Student Government Executive Board and Class Officers. He was determined to make a change as soon as he sent in his declaration. Even his campaign in the spring of 2020 was one of the most successful in recent student government history. “Running in the election and tallying the highest participation totals ever was the start of a reinvigorated student body waiting to get involved. Student Government has been reconstructed in a way that has brought back the importance of student leadership,” Everette explained.
Student Government officers were occasionally overlooked in the past, and Jalen was determined to ensure people could come to a friendly face when they were facing issues that involved the college. Connecting with the students on a more personal level was one of Everette’s main goals. “In my first term I wanted to reinvent all things Student Government. The first step began with designing a new brand logo for social media platforms. Student government officials were unrecognizable and didn’t connect with the majority of the student body. Now, class council elections are breaking records for turnout. By rebranding UCSG we have become the proper channel to voice frustrations and to positively create change on campus.”
Many members of UCSG are heavily involved in athletics, Greek life, community service, and academic achievement societies. This year’s UCSG representatives are very well connected within a diverse group of sports teams in addition to student government; this has led to a more welcoming community for students who may have been unsure of who to reach out to when they had a problem. “This year the team dynamic is great, I have been working with new people and a few returners who have made student government experience enjoyable. We all work extremely hard to create positive change and make events happen on campus,” said Everette. The team has some very exciting events planned in the coming months, especially the desired return of a normal Homecoming!
Being a senior, Jalen’s presidency will soon end and a new student will take his place. He hopes his current team will help build a team as encouraged and devoted as he has been these past two years. Student government tends to be overlooked, but offers some great life lessons to young adults. Jalen does not regret his decision of putting many hours into his successful terms. “Your voice is directly involved with key issues around campus; you use that voice to the best of your ability to accurately represent the values of your class or the student body. It is rewarding to know at the end of your term, you were able to make someone else’s experience on campus more enjoyable,” he concluded.
The academic year has just begun, and the entire Ursinus community is excited to see what Jalen Everette does next.