EOP’s November Student Spotlight focuses on the newest Student Association (SA) vice president, Mary Kay Taylor. Mary Kay, a sophomore History and Political Science double major with a Russian Studies minor from South Ozone Park, New York, jumped into student government at Fredonia her first semester (fall 2014) and has continued to grow and become an integral part of student/administration relations here at Fredonia. Mary Kay decided to get involved in Student Association in the same way most of Fredonia students find out about groups on campus, through activities night. “Initially, I joined SA because I was feeling very homesick. I went to activities night and tried to find groups that interested me. I saw the Student Association table and signed up! From there I went to the SA office and decided to run for freshmen class representative, won, and I’ve loved it ever since.” 
As the freshmen class representative, Mary Kay voted on club recognition decisions, Student Association financial decisions, and represented the freshmen class in discussions regarding larger SUNY issues. Mary Kay didn’t settle as a class rep though. From her initial position, she worked her way to freshmen class vice president, then reached out to sit on both the Economic Engagement review team, which looked at both the efficiency and impact that the Office of Engagement and Economic Development has on Fredonia, and the Sustainability Committee, which has worked to make the campus more environmentally conscious.
Now in her third semester Mary Kay has continued to become more involved in SA. She was elected as sophomore class president and selected to sit as the student representative on the FSA board of directors. As a member of the FSA board of directors, Mary Kay voices student concerns and is involved with discussions regarding meal plans, hours of operation, and student satisfaction. In these positions Ms. Taylor has continued to look for even more new opportunities to involve herself. Currently she is a member of the University Senate, a member of the applied learning council, a community relations committee member, and a member of the SA rules committee.
In all of her positions, and in her decision to run for 2016 Student Association vice president, Mary Kay has kept the same principles in mind. Her goal has always been to build a bridge of communication between Student Association, University administration, and the student body. Stating “I personally want to see clubs have more of a voice in Student Association and ensure that students have a say in how the campus is run.”
Mary Kay values the opportunities Fredonia has given her. “Being here has made me more confident in myself. By joining Student Association I’ve realized that I can achieve my academic goals and make an impact on the campus. Student Association has given me the opportunities to meet and work with the campus administration and allowed me to be a voice of the student body.”
Her experiences through SA have developed skills that will assist Mary Kay in reaching her goal of attending the University of Pennsylvania Law School to pursue a career in international or corporate law while potentially pursuing a career in politics. Mary Kay’s experiences with SA are a testament to the power of engaging yourself in student life at Fredonia. We look forward to Ms. Taylor’s new adventure as Student Association vice president and are proud to spotlight her achievements -- so far -- at Fredonia.