Emma Dillon hopes to bring girl power to the ballot
Editor-in-Chief
Being the only woman in the race for freshman class president as of yet, Emma Dillon looks to gain an edge against the competition.
“I see it as an advantage because I will be the only girl on the ballot. So far, I am running against four guys who have signed up,” she said.
Throughout the past week, Dillon made her way around the campus engaging with other students and getting the signatures she needed to run for Freshman Class President. “I think it’s been a really good experience because it has got me out of my comfort zone and now it’s just routine. I got to go up to a lot of people and meet new people who I wouldn’t of got to meet without doing this,” she said.
She is the sister of the Student Senate Treasurer Josiah Dillon. Although they are siblings, Dillon said that Josiah has never forced her to run for a senate position but has been very supportive in anything she does.
“I knew about student senate through my brother, but when I heard about the opportunity to become freshman class president I jumped on it,” she said.
Throughout high school and at Hudson Valley, Dillon has made an effort to volunteer and be a part of the community and the school. “I’ve done a lot of volunteer work with student senate. I volunteered during welcome back week and that is what sparked my interest in student senate,” she said.
Along with her volunteer work, Dillon has also contributed at Relay For Life and is currently working on starting a charitable organization with Student Senate Secretary Brody O’Connor called “The Sock Drawer,” which helps collect brand new packages of socks, underwear and t-shirts for the students and community in order to keep them warm over the winter.
During high school, Dillon was a part of many organizations that helped her gain confidence. “I went to several leadership conferences through the club I was involved in. I was Vice President of NCBI which is National Coalition Building Institute, and I feel that helped me gain leadership skills,” she said.
She has appeared at local colleges for leadership workshops. “When I went to a Siena leadership workshop, they expected me to stand up in front of all the students and talk, and I was so nervous but everyone was very friendly and the reaction that they gave me helped me gain more confidence as a leader,” she said.
Dillon feels that one of her biggest aspects is that she loves Hudson Valley more than anyone she knows. “I feel like Hudson Valley gives people so many opportunities, especially people in situations that feel college isn’t an opportunity for them, it opens up the door for them,” she said.
The Dillon family is an example of people taking advantage of the opportunities at Hudson Valley. “My mother was divorced with two kids and no degree and did not know what to do, and when she found out about Hudson Valley, she completely changed her life and our lives because of it,” she said.
Even with all the activities Dillon has done, she believes doing more is better for her. “I like keeping myself busy and taking on responsibilities, so taking a little more initiative than just becoming a senator will give me the responsibility I am looking for,” she said.