Katherine Holmok
Alfred State College
Katherine Holmok, a 3rd year student at Alfred State, is a leader active in political engagement seeking to inspire greater involvement by the student body in the local community. She has leveraged her role as Student Senate President to advocate for shared governance and community engagement. For the last two years, Katherine has provided leadership to voter registration and education efforts resulting in enhanced voter participation. This effort culminated the previous semester with programming and new partnerships designed to maximize student involvement in the general election.
She also played a key role in developing a new collaborative structure with the local village board of trustees. Specifically, it has enabled a student government representative to participate and sit alongside elected village leaders. This has enabled a more consistent student presence within village governance and created more timely and meaningful communication between students and residents. Her contributions have enhanced the ability of students to make a meaningful difference in their community.
Personal Statement
I am a passionate representative and advocate for my fellow students. I have had the opportunity to serve the interests of the public through co-governance. This included working as a Civic Engagement Advocate, being elected as President of the Student Senate, serving on various faculty committees, and representing the collective interests of all students at the State University of New York Student Assembly. We need democratic participation to address tomorrow's realities and engage on a local level. When we invest in our college communities - hubs for diverse ideas and perspectives - we invest in a bright future.
I work to strengthen systems of shared governance and civic participation through strategic liaison positions, informative programming and sustainable policies. I practice collaborative but decisive leadership in order to energize the vital partnership between local elected officials and the citizens they represent. An immense capacity exists for creating impactful and sustainable progress due to global interconnectedness and availability of information. But it begins with political engagement in our local communities. So every day, I strive to empower others to realize their potential to influence and create change through democratic participation and civic engagement.
