The 2022-2023 Student Association President’s address

I have been attending Union for the past three years and no year so far has been like the one before. Honestly, it’s hard to believe that this is even my last school year. Union has been a huge part of my walk for so long, and I am not sure I'm even ready to let it go. When I was asked to write this letter, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to focus on. I found myself sitting by my laptop typing and typing, but there didn’t seem to be a coherent way to express what this school year meant for me. I sit here today typing again for the fourth — maybe fifth — time this month with something to say. 

What does Union College mean to me? To me, Union College is knowing that one of Aubrey Benton’s favorite artists is Taylor Swift. It’s knowing that Saphi McFarquhar has a ton of really cool pets at home. It's knowing that Isabella Mansilla is from Chicago and that she is very proud of that. It's also knowing that the first sport John Mugandi played was football. Union College is knowing that Tina Booton on the fifth floor is a volunteer firefighter and that Dr. Sauder is about to have two grandchildren very soon. It’s also knowing that Ruben Garcia holds every campus job imaginable (talk to him about it). In the past month I have spent time making connections with the many amazing people around me — some from far away and others from right in our backyard. I believe that making connections with those around me is the cornerstone of my position as a leader on campus. I love getting to know you guys through conversations, classes or even events we throw as an association.

This year's focus is on building connections. We as a team plan on showing everyone through our events and our interactactions the importance of relationship building on campus. Students, faculty, and staff alike matter to us. We’re very excited to show you all what we have in store this year and we really hope you enjoy it. This year, I encourage you to focus on building long-lasting relationships with those around you. I encourage you to make college a great experience for you. I am super excited to serve as president of your Student Association. Thank you for this opportunity, and I hope I can serve you well.

By Nelda Atuti