Student Association president Will Waldron and vice president Hector Felix are offering a mentoring program this semester for any student interested in running for an SA office or interested in volunteering with the SA.
The idea for mentoring came to Waldron and Felix during the fall semester, as they were discussing the upcoming semester. Waldron and Felix attend a weekly devo together, where they said they focused heavily on spiritual mentoring. They realized that they both have personal mentors in their own lives who they value and want to provide that opportunity to next year’s SA.
Waldron and Felix said the biggest reason behind the mentoring program is to prepare the students for involvement in the SA and to provide them with the confidence that they will be able to fulfill the needed roles.
“We’re hoping to make the candidates aware of what they’re getting into,” Felix said. “We want them know more about the position; it’s more than just a title.”
The mentoring has already garnered a reaction from students considering running for an SA office. Junior Kalvin Graham said he is planning to run for SA president and is appreciative of the opportunity that Waldron and Felix are providing.
“It’s great that the kids considering running are able to find out what the positions entail,” Graham said.
Waldron said he hopes the mentoring will add continuity between current and future SAs and give new members a foundation on which to improve. He said he hopes that the mentoring will not only prepare the new president and vice president, but better the SA overall.
“I want the next SA president to be better than me, and the next one to be better than them,” Waldron said.
Last spring, Waldron spent three weeks after being elected SA President with then SA president Bruce McMullen, then spent the summer before school in Searcy, talking with and learning from faculty. Waldron and McMullen said they hope the mentoring program will provide the new president with an even greater amount of preparation.
Waldron said he plans to warn the candidates about challenges they will face if elected. He stresses the importance of time management, especially allowing time for yourself to rest.
“After being elected, I didn’t realize that my time was sort of public property,” Waldron said. “You have to constantly be available. I got sick within the first few weeks of school. It took me a while to learn to make sure I was giving myself time to recharge.”
While wanting to improve the SA, Waldron said he also has specific advice for students who are considering running. This includes what Waldron said was the biggest lesson he learned as SA president.
“I had to get rid of selfish ambitions and learn to make it about the SA,” Waldron said. “But even that can be selfish. You have to make it about the school, the students and most importantly about God.”
