By Jordan Wood, Student Body President
As students at Asbury we are presented with a variety of opportunities we have the choice to take each day. On February 24th this community will have the opportunity to participate in electing the cabinet that will make decisions for the next school year. This opportunity, however, extends further than participating in electing a new cabinet, but also gives this campus the chance to take an active role in participating in changing this community, being a member of a team and being a voice for Asbury by running to be a member of the Executive Cabinet (EC).
Being a member of EC means you are part of a team. This is a team that has the potential of accomplishing great things on Asbury’s campus. As a part of the Executive Cabinet team, you will be responsible for carrying out the responsibilities of your own position, but you also must depend on other members of cabinet to help achieve your goals. This is a valuable experience that can be used when you enter the work field after college. In any job, you are responsible to work in conjunction with other employees, but also communicate effectively and help others achieve their goals.
By working with the rest of EC you will have the chance to implement change. This year’s EC has worked on improvements with food, wifi connection, weekend activities and parking. In order to decide what areas to change, however, it is important to listen to what our students want to improve. Because there are many needs on campus, spanning different classes, majors and extracurricular activities, it is important to have a diverse group of people on EC to help know, understand and achieve these changes.
One of the biggest responsibilities as a member of EC is to provide the student body a voice. You will be constantly working alongside faculty members throughout the year. Additionally you will also have the opportunity attend faculty committee meetings in which you will be asked give input on new policies and initiatives that are coming through our university. Learning how to communicate effectively with superiors is a skill gained through experience. Being a member of EC will provide a platform for you to acquire this experience while you are still at the collegiate level.
Becoming a member of Executive Cabinet is a great opportunity. It provides not only the opportunity to be a part of a team, create change and be a voice, but gives you the chance to build relationships with other students throughout campus and on EC. I didn’t know most members on EC on a personal level going into this year, but now I can honestly say that I consider them some of my closest friends. It’s no question that these are friendships that will exceed far past our time at Asbury.
It’s very challenging at times, but it has been one of most enjoyable times of my life. In no way is being an EC member about meeting overarching expectations that others will set or that you set for yourself. It’s about fulfilling a servant leadership role to our student body. And that has been such a satisfying experience. I know without a doubt that I made the right decision to run to be a part of Executive Cabinet. I truly hope you will consider running for a position this year.