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So that you could spotlight the people who find themselves main schools and universities around the country, we at Watch The Backyard reached out to College of the District of Columbia and did an interview with Brent Thigpen the 2022-2023 Scholar Govt Affiliation president.
The location of SGA president is a extremely revered function and there’s a particular delight that one takes in being elected by means of their friends to steer. Thigpen, who’s majoring in Mechanical Engineering, is from Waldorf, MD. He’s a proud Spring 23 start up of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
We interviewed Brent Thigpen, and talked to him about his place, targets, long run and what it way to carry this kind of management place in 2022-2023.
Learn the total interview beneath.
What’s the greatest factor you’ve realized as an SGA president to this point?
As an SGA president at UDC, I’ve realized that efficient management calls for a deep working out of the desires and issues of the group that you just serve. Thru my enjoy, I’ve come to appreciate that taking note of and attractive with scholars is an important to addressing their wishes and advocating for his or her rights. I’ve additionally realized that collaboration and teamwork are crucial achieve a success results for the coed frame. Being an SGA president has taught me to be affected person, diplomatic, and leading edge in creating answers to complicated problems. In spite of everything, I’ve realized that management is not only about making selections, but in addition about inspiring others to behave and create sure substitute of their group.
What made making a decision to wait College of the District of Columbia for undergrad?
My choice to wait the College of the District of Columbia (UDC) used to be extra than simply comfort. Right through the difficult 12 months of 2020, when COVID hit and grew to become our global the other way up, I noticed that staying just about house used to be vital to me. I sought after so that you could proceed to look my circle of relatives and shut buddies whilst I pursued my faculty schooling. UDC now not handiest presented me a scholarship, nevertheless it additionally had the whole thing I used to be searching for an HBCU, a lacrosse staff, and a mechanical engineering program.
However UDC presented me extra than simply comfort and educational techniques. I sought after to wait a college the place I wouldn’t be simply any other face in a crowded lecture corridor. UDC’s small magnificence sizes allowed me to hook up with my classmates and professors in my opinion, making it simple for me to construct a community of like-minded people who proportion my interest for good fortune.
I additionally sought after to have an effect on my college, and UDC’s smaller measurement allowed me to just do that. Via coming right here, I will be a large fish in a smaller pond, which permits me to make a larger have an effect on on my faculty and group. Because the Scholar Govt Affiliation president, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc, and an envoy for the Thurgood Marshall Faculty Fund and my faculty of engineering and technologies, I’m proud to constitute UDC and lend a hand deliver reputation to this nice establishment.
So, whilst staying just about house used to be vital, my choice to wait UDC used to be about greater than that. It used to be about discovering a college that presented me the risk to pursue my passions, construct significant relationships, and make a distinction. UDC has equipped me with all of that and extra, and I’m proud to name myself a Firebird.
How has College of the District of Columbia molded you into the individual you might be lately?
Attending the College of the District of Columbia (UDC) has considerably formed me into the individual I’m lately. UDC has equipped me with a difficult but nurturing educational atmosphere that has allowed me to develop in my opinion and professionally. The college has a small magnificence measurement, which has enabled me to determine shut relationships with my professors, classmates, and different contributors of the UDC group. This atmosphere has made me really feel valued and supported during my educational adventure.
Additionally, UDC’s dedication to range and inclusivity has uncovered me to quite a lot of views, cultures, and tactics of considering. This publicity has broadened my worldview and helped me increase a deeper working out and appreciation for the original reports and demanding situations that individuals face.
Moreover, UDC has given me a large number of alternatives to get interested in extracurricular actions, comparable to scholar executive, fraternity existence, and ambassador techniques. Those alternatives have allowed me to increase management abilities, turn into extra socially mindful, and foster significant connections with people who proportion identical passions and pursuits.
Total, attending UDC has molded me right into a well-rounded person who’s dedicated to creating a good have an effect on on society. The schooling, reports, and relationships I’ve received at UDC have ready me to be triumphant professionally and in my opinion. I can endlessly be thankful for the chance to be part of this kind of supportive and provoking group.
What explicit projects have you ever headed up this 12 months (or are making plans) and the way do you assume they are going to support the varsity and surrounding group?
As an SGA president, I’ve a number of projects that I’ve been running in this 12 months to support the varsity and the encompassing group.
One initiative I’m running on is to extend scholar engagement and involvement on campus. This contains growing extra alternatives for college students to have interaction with each and every different, comparable to web hosting extra occasions and actions which might be inclusive and a laugh for all.
Any other initiative is to support the campus infrastructure, together with updating school room generation and offering extra learn about areas for college students. This may make it more uncomplicated for college students to concentrate on their educational paintings and reach their targets.
In regards to the surrounding group, I’ve been running on growing partnerships with native companies and organizations to offer extra sources for college students. This contains running with group leaders to create mentorship techniques, process festivals, and scholar internships.
Moreover, I’ve been advocating for psychological well being sources and reinforce for college students, together with web hosting psychological well being consciousness occasions and extending get right of entry to to counseling products and services.
Total, my function is to make the varsity a extra supportive and alluring atmosphere for all scholars, whilst additionally strengthening the connection between the varsity and the encompassing group
How is your SGA management/faculty recently running on getting to the psychological well being of scholars?
At UDC, we’re running in opposition to selling psychological well being and wellness via various projects. This contains bodily job techniques, wholesome consuming choices, and social occasions that inspire group development and connection amongst scholars. Our SGA group could also be taking an energetic function in supporting the psychological well being of our fellow scholars. We’re advocating for psychological well being sources and consciousness campaigns, organizing occasions and projects that advertise psychological well being and well-being, and offering a supportive and inclusive atmosphere for college students to talk about their psychological well being issues. We imagine that making a tradition of open discussion and reinforce is very important to selling the psychological well being and well-being of our scholars, and we’re dedicated to proceeding our efforts on this space.
What does management imply to you?
Management, to me, way the facility to encourage, information, and empower others in opposition to a not unusual function or imaginative and prescient. A real chief is any individual who now not handiest has a transparent working out of their very own strengths and weaknesses but in addition acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses in their staff contributors. A pacesetter will have to be capable of successfully keep in touch with their staff, pay attention to their comments, and make knowledgeable selections that get advantages the staff as a complete.
Management isn’t about being ready of authority or having energy over others. As a substitute, it’s about serving others and placing their wishes above your personal. It’s about being a task type and surroundings a good instance for others to observe. A just right chief is any individual who can adapt to other scenarios, stay calm below force, and be capable of encourage and encourage their staff even all over tricky instances.
In essence, management is set fostering an atmosphere of believe, admire, and teamwork. It’s about making a tradition the place everybody feels valued and empowered to give a contribution their distinctive abilities and views in opposition to reaching a not unusual function.
We now are living in a virtual global, what do you assume colleges wish to do to constitute themselves on-line in 2022/2023?
Within the an increasing number of virtual global we are living in, it’s an important for colleges to have a robust on-line presence. Right here are a few things colleges can do to constitute themselves successfully on-line in 2022/2023:
- Expand a user-friendly web site: The college’s web site will have to be simple to navigate, visually interesting, and comprise all of the essential knowledge that folks, scholars, and lecturers want.
- Put in force social media accounts: Social media platforms like Fb, Twitter, and Instagram can also be nice gear to exhibit a faculty’s tradition and occasions. Colleges can proportion updates, footage, and movies to interact their target market and advertise their emblem.
- Be offering on-line studying sources: With extra scholars and fogeys turning to on-line studying sources, it’s crucial for colleges to offer get right of entry to to high quality on-line tutorial fabrics.
- Foster on-line communique: Colleges can use communique gear like electronic mail, messaging apps, and video conferencing instrument to stay folks and lecturers hooked up and knowledgeable.
- Emphasize on-line protection: Colleges wish to make sure that their scholars and personnel are acutely aware of on-line protection practices and observe their on-line conduct to stop cyberbullying and different on-line dangers.
- Total, colleges wish to embody generation and keep up-to-date with virtual developments to care for relevance and successfully keep in touch with their stakeholders in 2022/2023.
Why do you assume Watch The Backyard is vital to Black scholars and school tradition?
Watch The Backyard is vital to Black scholars and school tradition for a number of causes. First, it supplies a way of group and connection for Black scholars who might really feel remoted or marginalized on predominantly white faculty campuses. Via showcasing the accomplishments and contributions of Black scholars, Watch The Backyard is helping to create a way of delight and belonging for Black scholars and their allies.
2nd, Watch The Backyard is helping to advertise the sure facets of Black Greek existence and counter damaging stereotypes and misconceptions which were perpetuated by means of the media and pop culture. Via offering a correct and nuanced portrayal of Black Greek existence, Watch The Backyard is helping to dispel myths and foster a better working out and appreciation of the contributions of Black Greek organizations to the varsity group and past.
In spite of everything, Watch The Backyard serves as a platform for networking and occupation building for Black scholars and alumni. Thru its on-line listing and process board, Watch The Backyard is helping to glue Black scholars and alumni with doable employers and mentors, offering alternatives for pro enlargement and development.
Total, Watch The Backyard performs crucial function in selling and celebrating Black faculty tradition and empowering Black scholars to succeed in their targets and make a good have an effect on of their communities
What do you intend on doing after commencement?
My long run plans after commencement in Would possibly 2024 are brimming with interest and objective. I’m dedicated to pursuing a grasp’s level in mechanical engineering at an HBCU, a call this is deeply important to me because it gives a possibility to immerse myself in a wealthy custom of excellence and educational rigor.
However that’s now not all. I’m fueled by means of a burning need to give a contribution to society in a significant method, and I’m assured {that a} occupation in upper schooling is the trail for me. Because the SGA president, I used to be impressed to lend a hand younger black skilled minds reach their doable and turn into change-makers of their group. This enjoy has woke up a deep-seated power inside of me to uplift and encourage others.
My long-term function is to turn into a president at an HBCU, a spot the place I will proceed to make a good have an effect on by means of advocating for college students and growing an atmosphere that fosters enlargement and excellence. I imagine {that a} occupation in upper schooling is not only a task however a calling that calls for willpower, interest, and a deep dedication to creating a distinction within the lives of others.
Ahead of embarking in this occupation trail, I intend to satisfy my early life dream of changing into a pilot for Delta or United Airways. I’m excited to take in this problem and plan to fly for 10 to fifteen years prior to retiring. In doing so, I can have accomplished a private function whilst additionally gaining precious enjoy and a singular point of view that I will deliver to my paintings in upper schooling.
Total, I’m occupied with the probabilities that the long run holds and am dedicated to creating a good have an effect on on this planet. Seeing people carry themselves, particularly those that proportion my identification, is a profound and significant enjoy that fuels my power to serve and make a distinction.
We at Watch The Backyard wish to commend Brent Thigpen for his paintings because the SGA president of College of the District of Columbia.
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