Women Lead The Way In The Student Senate
Staff Writer
Women are underrepresented in major elected positions across the United States, but Hudson Valley’s student government tells a different story. All four members of the executive board are women.
Grace Harrison, individual studies major, is President of the Student Senate. My’Asia Colon, liberal arts major, is Vice President. Fanny Motey is Treasurer. Samantha Bedell is Secretary.
All of these women in charge love their jobs in the senate. Bedell said it is “awesome.”
This senate is “comprised of powerful and talented young women,” said Harrison.
Colon said, “I felt it may be unbalanced without a man in a leadership position in the senate but I would not change the senate we have for anything.”
Harrison, who joined Hudson Valley at the age of 16 through the college’s 24 credit-hour programs, is one of the youngest senate presidents at Hudson Valley. One of her biggest goals is “an increase school spirit to be comparable to a 4 year college.”
Colon explained that everyone in the Student Senate has helped in working toward their goals. She said, “[The entire senate is] invaluable to the process, everyone is playing an important role in bringing about changes. We have made a difference.”
The Student Senate manages the Student Activities budget, which is over $800,000. Included in the budget are events on campus, such as Fall Fest and the Homecoming Dance. The Senate has attempted to use these events to increase student participation and school spirit. The Homecoming Dance had over 300 in attendance.
Harrison and Colon hope to build upon their experience as leaders at Hudson Valley and eventually take on leadership roles in society
Harrison said, ”I originally wanted to be a Theatre major but since joining the senate I have become very interested in politics. I would have to say becoming a senator would be my dream job,” she said.
Colon also has an ambitious dream job, which she said is , “Secretary of Defense or CIA agent.”
Women currently hold less than 20 percent of the seats in United States Congress and only five governorships in the 50 states, despite being 51 percent of the total population. There has never been a woman elected President of the United States, but Hillary Clinton is seen as a potential frontrunner for 2016.
Although women are still disproportionately represented in elected offices, the number has been steadily increasing over time. Hudson Valley’s Student Senate shows that there are young women ready to continue that trend in the future.