This week was unusually slow for the Student Association, as they did not hold their regularly scheduled meeting Monday night. The SA has been working hard this semester to fill positions and approve bylaws for the next legislation, but the break gave members of the Executive Council a chance to focus on their private lives outside of the SA.
Executive Vice President and junior public relations major Isabella Sofia said when she’s not fulfilling her role in the SA, she enjoys practicing photography, as she has her own photography business. She mostly shoots weddings.
“I got my own business license so I could do little side projects to improve skills so I can use it for weddings.” Sofia said.
Sofia is also the vice president of Cardinal PR, planning to become president next semester and also is a member of the PSUC chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, PRSSA.
“I do Platty Slack every now and then, but it’s been hard just because of being so busy,” she said.
Sofia said being on executive council has taught her a lot about time management. She has to balance her responsibilities in and outside of the SA, as she is currently taking 20 credits this semester, with Cardinal PR being her favorite.
“We’re working with CV Tech, which is a local technical school, and we’re working on removing the negative stigma toward technical schools. It’s been great to meet the students who go and actually have positive views about it.” she said.
Sofia, a Watertown, New York, native, joined the SA because she wanted to make students’ voices heard and to be “a source to help diversity.”
“I’m a junior and most of my friends had no idea what the SA was,” she said. “And so this semester we’ve really been working on outreach because that’s been one of my main goals so that everyone on campus at least has an idea of what (the) Student Association does.”
Vice President of Academics and sophomore biology major and chemistry and public health minor Vrinda said she also joined the SA to help promote diversity on campus. She also enjoys meeting new people through the SA.
Vrinda founded the South Asian Student Association in her efforts to diversify the Plattsburgh State campus. She is also a member of the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization.
“We spend a lot of time doing things for the SA. It’s not necessarily in the office, but it’s planning things outside or thinking about things or having meetings,” Vrinda said.
She said it can be challenging to balance school work and SA responsibilities.
Vrinda said she tries to make time in her busy schedule to Skype with her long-distance boyfriend. She also enjoys hanging out with her friends, spending time in the Angell College Center and at Lake Champlain, to unwind after a long day.
Vrinda said that although she is from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, her family is moving back to India soon. She said she enjoys living in Dubai, but India feels more like “home” to her.
Vice President of Fine Arts Ashley Lester, who is working toward her bachelor’s in Fine Arts with a concentration in sculpting, said she joined the SA because she is passionate about the art department.
“I feel like I’m very close with my peers in my department, and since I’m so close with them, I wanted to share my love and my peers’ love for the arts with the other students on campus,” Lester said.
She is also part of the Plattsburgh Association of Visual Arts.
“I spend a lot of time on campus, and I spend a lot of time doing SA-related things and art-related things,” Lester said.
She said she spends her weekdays in Plattsburgh and weekends in Montreal, as she and her wife have an apartment in the city.
“She’s super supportive of me. I’m really supportive of her, so we both understand that we’re each really busy,” Lester said.
Aside from her involvement in the arts and her extensive commute, Lester also works at the Plattsburgh Chipotle.
Both Lester and Vrinda said they enjoy their positions and responsibilities on the SA, and their respective areas of focus, which is important for the Executive Council.
“I feel like everyone is super passionate about what they do in the SA,” Lester said.
Email Marissa Russo at marissa.russo@cardinalpointsonline.com
