Elle Williams
College of Southern Maryland
Elle Williams is a sophomore at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM). This Spring she will graduate with Associate's degrees in both General Studies and Communications. She is transferring to the University of Maryland - College Park this fall to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Communications with a focus on Public Relations. Her goal is to one day become a publicist promoting nonprofit organizations. She believes that if you have a talent, you should use it to help others. Williams is actively involved in CSM's Student Government Association where she reaches out to students from across the campus to engage and involve them in the life of the college. As a first-generation college student, she advocates on behalf of all of her community college peers, directly meeting and talking with state and local elected officials about the need for access and affordability of higher education. When not on campus, she is volunteering at her church, promoting adult basic literacy as a tutor with the Charles County Literacy Council, or volunteering at the USO at Joint Base Andrews. Williams believes that true change can only come through collaboration and hard work. She demonstrates these principles through her work and volunteering every day.
Personal Statement
My involvement in CSM's Student Association has allowed me to work with a diverse group of individuals. Part of my responsibility is to engage students to be active on campus. This leadership position has taught me that communicating my ideas around others can be difficult. My dedication to get the younger parishioners involved has met its difficulties. I am constantly coming up with ways of making church more appealing. I currently tutor for the Charles County Literacy Council. Through tutoring, I have promoted basic literacy in adults.
Solutions can only be found with the effort of others. This is how I solve problems that arise in daily life. On a bigger scale, I feel these skills I have acquired on campus and my community can be applied to combat social issues. The heart of every social issue seems to be conflicting ideologies. In my experience, not everyone can be right, and not everyone has access to the resources necessary to fix their problems. I propose that if people begin to work with those of different backgrounds, they will be able to move forward in a more constructive direction. Change takes more than an individual with ideas; it requires collaborative action.
