Finalist
Alissa King
Southeastern College
Junior in Psychology
4.0 GPA
     Alissa King, 21, can claim the distinction of being Southeastern College’s first-ever honoree in the 14-year-history of the "Florida College Student of the Year" Awards. King resurrected a nearly defunct honorary at the Lakeland school, turning it into the college’s top service organization. And she raised debate on some tough campus issues through her surprisingly controversial editorials in the school paper.
     King serves as editor of The Flame campus newspaper, and co-editor of The Torch, Southeastern’s yearbook. Plus, she doubled participation in Psi Chi, a dormant honorary. "They aren’t just here as an honorary," says Dr. Sandra Baldwin, director of public relations and also King’s newspaper advisor. "Now they actually do something."
     King considers Psi Chi’s growth under her leadership as her top achievement. "When I came in as president, there was absolutely nothing. It was a resume builder," she says of the organization, which had only five or 10 members at the time. "They didn’t even have meetings. I came in with really high expectations. If something has my name on it, it has to be really good. This semester, membership has increased by 100 percent. I have brought to life that which was dead. My efforts have helped to renew the sense of honor, making it into what it was intended to be: a scholarly gathering of the academic elite who seek to use their skills to aid in the growth of the psychology department and to serve the campus and community."
     In Psi Chi, King started two scholarships, which are based on academics and need. The group also sponsored a GRE grad schools seminar, which included a panel of experts to answer questions. "That was pretty big," she says.
     "She’s mature. She’s an extremely hard worker, and has a good mind. She’s a very calming influence on others. She can take over and complete the task," Baldwin says. "I would certainly say she ranks right up there in the top one percent, maybe less than top one percent, that I’ve had."
     Baldwin says King has penned several provocative columns for The Flame. "She takes on controversial issues, which is sometimes unusual here," Baldwin says. "It’s different here in that it’s a more conservative campus. She’s not afraid to take on issues. She’s very good at handling it."
     In particular, King’s Flame column in Christian dating stirred up a hornet’s nest, she says. "I was totally naïve—I thought everyone’s a good Christian and nothing bad goes on. It was not the case," she says. "We’re supposed to be examples of Christianity. We’re supposed to honor God in everything we do. A lot of people came up to me and thanked me for writing the column. It helped clarify things for them. Others weren’t so thrilled about the article, but it did elicit responses."
     Unlike some campus papers, King says The Flame doesn’t serve as a "watchdog." "We don’t go bashing the administration," she says. "But we’ve brought up controversial issues. There’s been a lot of construction on campus and difficulties with housing, and some people have expressed concerns about that.
     "The paper has undergone a great transformation," King says. "In the past, it wasn’t that catchy. Now it’s in magazine style—the cover is a big photo. More people do read now. It’s also gotten bigger. We do up to 20 pages biweekly now."
     "She has been a magnificent student, academically and socially," says Dr. David Boyd, director of academic services and coordinator of the "Crisis Hotline." Through the Hotline, Boyd says students such as King counsel troubled callers about marriage and personal problems and pray with them. Calls come from across the country and are diverted to Southeastern by satellite from the national prayer center in Missouri. "She does excellent work. I can’t give her anything but praise." Boyd says King first worked as a Hotline counselor then moved up to being a supervisor. "She’s volunteering and is not being paid for that."
     "They have situations from illness to major things like suicide and depression," King says. "I had several women call who were experiencing major depression. They needed someone to listen. I felt really rewarded at the end of those calls. It’s just a listening deal—we’re supposed to pray for a need, but we’re not certified to give psychological counseling. A lot of them are confused, and you’re able to talk about the love of God and Christ, to show them that somebody loves them unconditionally."
     Boyd says he also was impressed with King’s initiative in starting a tutoring program for psychology students. "She came to me with the idea, and I gave her permission to extend the tutoring program to Psi Chi," he says. "It’s the first time anyone has done that. She never has dropped the ball. She starts a project then she completes it. She has probably the best follow-though of any student I’ve ever had.
     "She’s a cut above. She has a temperament and demeanor of someone who’s going to go to Ph.D. Program. She’s got what it takes," Boyd says. "She’s really a leader. She’s in the top one or two that I’ve worked with. She has the highest moral character, highest academic performance, and is a very gracious person. I don’t know of any enemies she has."
     King says she originally planned to head up north to Boston University. "I had never heard of Southeastern or the Assemblies of God," she says. "I decided I needed to go to a Christian School. In the past, SE has been a small, unnoticed school. But our new president is doing an amazing renovation of the school.
     "I was thrilled about moving here," she says. "I knew right away that I was supposed to come here. It was a ‘God thing.’ In the beginning, I didn’t feel that I was being challenged, but I found out that it’s really about what you put into it.
     "I really enjoy the personal attention you get here," she says. "The teachers also pray with and care about you on spiritual level. If I had gone to BU, it would have been impersonal. I wouldn’t have gotten the Christian emphasis."
     After graduating, King has two major goals: one regarding her career plans, while the other is a little more personal. She first plans to leap into a doctoral program in clinical psychology. "I’m going for the meat of it now," she says. "Plus, I’m getting married in May."
     King says she hopes her recognition might help Southeastern get more attention across Florida. "We’re up and coming," she says. "It really just exemplifies where the school is going.
     "Do I think I’m worthy? Sure. I’ve done a lot. But I feel very blessed. It’s such a great honor to be one of the seven finalists. I really thank God," she says. "I set a high standard-- I like everything to be top quality. I’m just really dedicated to doing everything well the first time. I don’t like to make mistakes. Also, Psi Chi has a foundation. It’s up and running and future leaders will be able to keep it going now.
     "But you can’t be all rigid, as that doesn’t get a following," she says. "There has to be personality there. You have to be able to relate to them, to get the most of what they have to offer. In the newspaper, some of the work that I edited, they weren’t so great. Now some people are submitting more and there work has improved."
     "Her name has popped up all over the place," says Pepper Brooks, vice president for student development. "She’s really done a super job. Everything I’ve heard about her has been real positive. She’s been a real good example. She would be in the top five in the 12 years I’ve been here."
     She pays for school through academic scholarships, part-time jobs during the summers and winter breaks, and grants.
     As Boyd says, "She’s one of the seven finest leaders in all of Florida. The morals, character, and her leadership--I see no flaws. I don’t think there are any other students on campus that are at her level. She’s not perfect, but she’s as close to as it as anyone I’ve seen since I’ve been here."
Contact King at alissa1031@yahoo.com.