The Jasmin administration is coming in with goals already in mind, and they aren’t small in nature. Student Government Association President Elect Syene Jasmin says he wants every student to feel a part of SGA. Jasmin calls his strategy the new “Aggie boost,” and he plans to use it to ‘boost’ North Carolina A&T into prominence.

“I want to bring A&T back to what it used to be, like my freshman year,” said Jasmin, who was elected in April in an unusual re-vote.

“Having that atmosphere and pride on campus -- the old Aggie spirit. Everyone should feel like family.”

The Register

Newly elected A&T student government

“A good way to do what we have planned is engaging more students in the political process and etcetera, as well as making sure they know what’s going on will help us outreach.

The executive board itself has big plans, including increasing the presence of security off-campus, making SGA more transparent, and implementing different forums and programs to extend student government to every individual.

Hopefully the Jasmin Administration will be able to do that, and it would seem that the students are behind them so far.

The Register

Syene Jasmin

“I’m excited, and I’m ready to get started,” he said.

The 2009-2010 executive board does share one thing in common with its predecessors, diversity. Bringing together a unique pool of talent, the board is composed of not seven, but eight members this year, with the addition of Mr. A&T.

Valerie Dudley, the new Vice President of Internal Affairs, is a sophomore Biology major, from Raleigh, N.C. Dudley also previously served as Vice President of the freshman class alongside Jackson in the 2007-2008 academic year. “I am concerned with delivering results and being proactive. That applies to the senate, to the campus and to every aspect of campus life.

Along with her is Travis Jackson, who was elected SGA Vice President of External Affairs. Jackson, who previously served as freshman class president in the 2007-2008 academic year, is a 20-year-old sophomore from Charlotte, N.C. Jackson, who is majoring in journalism and mass communications with a concentration in public relations, says his main priority is outreach.

“I plan to attract the students to SGA by including them in community events and showing them what a VPEA is supposed to do. I will reach out to other universities and businesses, and have other students work with me as well.

The elected treasurer Mason Jones, is a computer science major from Rochester, N.Y. His main concern should come as no surprise.

“I am trying to make the budget transparent for the students of A&T. They need to know where their money is going.”

Junior Whitney Dickens will fill the spot of SGA Secretary. She is a journalism and mass communications major with a concentration in print journalism, from Decatur, Ga.

“I want to keep the communication open between students and e-board. That means keeping the website updated and developing a newsletter for the students monthly,” said Dickens.

Serving as Attorney General will be Daniel Davis, a 22-year-old junior from Hartford, C.T., with double majors in political science and history.
“My priority is simple, yet complex. Safety. Bridging the gap between university police, city police and the students.”

The newly appointed position in SGA, Mr. A&T, will be Austin James. James is a 20-year-old junior from Hartsville, S.C. with a major in elementary education.
Mr. A&T comes to Aggies after persuading board members. The process was initially started, but after following proper protocol it took two years for the position to be voted into SGA.

“People not understanding the position, not seeing a need for the position, backlash from supporters of my opponent, and living up to the expectations of the people that created the position,” said James.

“I have a passion for empowering A&T students. It feels great to be the first Mr. A&T but I have big shoes to fill. Because I walk every day living Aggie Pride, I think I am the right man for the job.”

Perhaps the person with the biggest shoes to fill will be Miss A&T 2009-2010 Ngozi Opara. Opara is a junior finance major from Washington, D.C.

She will follow the current Miss A&T Tanisha Fordham, who also brought back to A&T the crown of Miss National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

Opara has faith in her plans of being Miss A&T 2009-2010.

“I think I am definitely going to be the unique Ms. A&T in the since that I plan on doing a lot of things that people have never heard of, and it will be different,” said Opara.

The elected SGA executive board members for the 2009-2010 academic year have promise to fulfill their platforms and keep the students always involved, but Aggies will have to wait until the fall to see if they elected the right candidates.

Dexter Mullins is online editor of The Register, the North Carolina A&T University student newspaper, which originally published this article.