Portrait #6  (8-2003)                                    
Name: Chantel Wilson
Age: 25
School: Santa Fe Community College
Major: International Relations
Phone: 352-372-5209
E-mail: chantelew@aol.com
Favorite book: Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Hobbies: Debate

Previous roles in Student Government:
• Club Senator
• Club President
• Senate Parliamentarian
• Constitution Revisions Committee
• Co-Chair March of Dimes Committee
• SLA Budget Committee

Major Campaign Accomplishments:
1) 83rd Street Sidewalk.
     "This was an amazing feat as it only took about six months from start to the groundbreaking ceremony. The sidewalk will be complete before the fall semester starts, and this will be a great benefit to Santa Fe students and the community. There are students who ride their bikes to Fort Clarke Middle School and there are many students who live within biking distance to Santa Fe. Our Parking and Transportation Committee did an awesome job working with local officials and administrators on our campus."

2) Greater Campus Presence.
     "We had a really busy year with a variety of events on our campus for the students and this helped strengthen the community we have a Santa Fe. We had a legislative forums, movie nights, and a variety of other events. We had calendars of our events posted all around campus, as every month was packed with events for the students. We also got the word out through our web site which had the calendar, surveys, live feed from our senate meetings, and a gallery of photos from our previous events."

3) Extended Library Hours and Improved Campus Lighting.
     "Extended library hours was an effort spearheaded by SG Secretary and some of the senators, so that we could open the library on Sunday and extend the hours on some of the other days. We had a survey that was posted on our web site, and also we had days where tables were set up at the library to see what the students wanted. It is very rewarding for all of us when you see the parking lot full all weekend! Campus lighting was extremely important to all of us as it was a means to improve safety and awareness on campus. We worked with faculty and administration to bring raise awareness of the importance of having a well-lit campus. This was one of the first campaign promises that we accomplished, and it helped to foster a wonderful relationship between student government and our administrators."

Why did you become involved in SG?
     “I became President of Global Society, and with my interest in politics, it just seemed natural to become further involved with Student Government.”

Who is your role model?
     “My Global Society Advisor, Professor McKelvey, inspired me with his passion for knowledge, leadership, and diplomacy.”

What is your administration’s biggest challenge?
     “Despite our internal changes and conflict, we all possessed a great passion for the goals we hoped to achieve. Our team was comprised of mothers, wives, international students, military veterans, and women in all major leadership roles. Diversity was both a challenge and an asset.”

What legacy will your administration leave?
     “Winning #1 SG from Florida Leader Magazine and providing a substantial foundation for future growth.”

How does student body view SG?
     “Offering events catered around the diverse schedules of our student body, providing an outlet for expressing individual opinions, and on-line elections allowed us to better address the needs of the students we represented and therefore allow them to feel more represented by SG than ever before.”

Describe your relationship with the administration.
     “We are fortunate to have such approachable administrators, and we were able to develop a strong relationship early on in our administration. This helped us to stay on track with the legislative issues, and gave us a clear voice when representing the students. The campus administration respected our passion and dedication.”

Describe your relationship with the media.
     “Our webmaster this year was able to address many of the needs of our administration, as well as the students we represent. Our website gave us the ability to broadcast and archive Senate meetings, as well as conduct surveys and inform students about upcoming events.”

What advice would you give to other SG presidents?
     “Build upon the mistakes and achievements of the previous administration and delegate responsibility!”

What are your plans after graduation?
     "Complete my degree in International Relations, go to law school, complete my masters degree abroad, and pursue a career in Global Leadership."

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