Personal Statement

Addressing the social and political issues in our society is one of the most complex challenges that we face. Open dialogue is very effective in developing strategies to combat some of the world’s social issues. Gathering different perspectives surrounding an issue can provide an all-encompassing way to approach and solve political challenges. I have seen this work many times as a student leader. As a senator in Elon University’s Student Government Association, I participate in civil discussions every week regarding issues with the university and work towards collaborative solutions. There are over 30 senators on student government, each representing a different group of students. During our weekly meetings, senators voice their opinions and help work towards solutions that will benefit their constituents and the university as a whole. I am also the leader of a Living Learning Community centered around civic engagement that allows first-year students to discuss political issues in the world. I have seen many students find commonalities in their perspectives and even propose solutions that could potentially be public policy in the future. Civil discourse has always been very important to me and will continue to be my passion as I continue to address social issues.