Miss Alcorn, SGA president, look back on a successful year as student body leaders
The reign of current Miss Alcorn State University, Kristina Brown and Student Government Association (SGA) President, Patrick Herbert is coming to a close, and the seniors are thankful for their time as student leaders. As they prepare to reap the benefits of their commitment to academia, they reflect on how being at the forefront of the student body has contributed to their development.
"I dedicated my senior year to getting things together for my life after graduation," said Brown, who will earn a bachelor's degree in psychology Saturday, May 5 during Alcorn's 2018 Spring Commencement Exercise. "With that and other duties, it was challenging to juggle everything at once. I learned how important it is to be organized and practice good time management skills. My senior year was a good learning experience."
"My senior year was very adventurous," said Herbert, who will earn a bachelor's degree in business administration. "I took on risks that I never thought I would take, but in doing so, I learned so much while preparing for life after I graduate."
With their positions came more responsibility to the Alcorn community. Both leaders shared their initial challenges while adapting to their roles.
"I gained a lot more attention than usual. Getting more exposure was something that I had to adjust to, but meeting new and exciting people helped me to deal with the spotlight. Through it all, I made sure to remain myself," said Brown.
"I was always faced with interesting questions and concerns from the student body. I was also fortunate enough to receive encouragement from faculty and staff members to keep going forward and grow in leadership," said Herbert.
All of the experiences that Brown and Herbert learned from made them better as leaders and professionals.
"My position taught me to remain humble and to manage my time better. These lessons were beneficial because those experiences will help me once I start a career," said Brown.
"I learned how to stay positive in the midst of chaos. As a leader, I have learned how to be selfless in my giving and my time when called to serve. I also learned that you will not please everyone, but you must include your team in your decision making to have a bright future for the student body. Being on one accord is key when serving in leadership," said Herbert."
Despite the challenges, Brown and Herbert were able to assert themselves as leaders, which led to many proud accomplishments.
"My biggest accomplishment was being able to connect with the youth in surrounding communities. I had the opportunity to read at various elementary schools as well as talk to a group of young ladies about college at Jefferson County High School. I love speaking to children and encouraging them to continue to further their education," said Brown.
"I feel that my biggest accomplishment was bringing the students together for a town hall meeting with university officials to discuss issues that will bring change at Alcorn. Those meetings led to longer cafeteria hours, more lighting on campus, better Wi-Fi connections, and new events on campus," said Herbert.
As the two prepare to part ways with their beloved university, they acknowledged how Alcorn has helped them grow into the people they have become.
"Alcorn is special to me because it is like no other institution. The rich tradition and the people are what make Alcorn great. Alcorn has built me into the person I am today, and I will be forever grateful for the amount of support from everyone," said Brown.
"Alcorn has prepared me for a successful future. The university has groomed me into being a servant leader, has taught me independence and survival skills, and lifelong lessons that will be essential to my everyday living," said Herbert.
