Runda Alamour, UNC Asheville

Runda Alamour, a senior at UNC Asheville, exemplifies student leadership on our campus, in our community, and across the state. As the State President of SNCAE, Runda has organized anti-bullying conferences and educational events; she has worked with community members and regional leaders to organization a rally in support of NC public education; she has reinvigorated the state’s “Read Across America” program. In her work as an AVID Tutor Leader, Runda bridges the university and school communities and inspires students, peers, and teachers. At the campus level, she has organized a vigil and community discussion in honor of the students killed in Chapel Hill. In the classroom, Runda was a critical leader in a workshop addressing Institutional Racism. Whether it is in the classroom, in the community, or in statewide programming, Runda epitomizes the equity and advocacy that she so deeply values. 
-Mary Grant, Chancellor

Education in the United States is at a turning point: class sizes are rising, standardized tests are encroaching on instructional time, and the educational gap is growing between poor students and their counterparts. At the same time, students like myself are preparing for exciting careers as educators. I joined the Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) as a way to voice my concerns and ideas. In addition to my work as an AVID tutor leader, I currently serve as the State President of SNCAE. 
I am personally committed to values of teacher quality, community outreach, and advocacy. As a leader, I work to bring workshops to future educators across NC on important topics such as technology, working in high needs schools, and bullying. I spend time planning outreach opportunities to connect future educators and schools. Last year, we supported schools during “Read Across America” and worked on service project for a school that needed revitalization. I believe future educators must develop the mentality that we are leaders and should advocate for our students, schools, and ourselves in order to create a better education system. I am passionate about education and plan to continue this work throughout my career. 
-Runda Alamour