By Logan Monteleone
News Editor
As part of the Student Government Association’s effort to support students through collaboration and advocacy, five students have been nominated over the past month to serve as voices for student concerns related to accessibility, food, facilities, athletics, and physical and emotional well-being.
The new representatives include sophomore Posionettá Fowler as Wellness Liaison; sophomore Amanda Campino as Buildings and Grounds Liaison; junior Olivia Calvert as Accessibility Chair; freshman Sarah Behm as Dining Services Chair; and sophomore Anna McCabe as Athletics Chair.
All cabinet members have been elected for a one-year term, during which time they will attend monthly meetings and report to the Senate at least once a month alongside their role-specific duties. An outline from the SGA identifies each cabinet member’s responsibilities. Cabinet positions were first introduced in the spring of 2022, according to previous Elm coverage.
As a student with a lactose allergy who has found the dining hall’s accommodations for dietary restrictions less-than-promised, Behm said she intends to address concerns by working to ensure dishes are accurately labeled and separated to prevent cross-contamination.
An intended political science major, Behm nominated herself to the position out of her motivation to represent the student body.
“Coming to Washington College, I saw how involved everyone was and I was like, ‘I want to be involved and I want to make a difference…’ because it already seemed just like such a place where everybody cares a lot, and I want to be one of those people,” Behm said.
Outside of allergies, Behm said the lack of gluten-free options and the limited variety in vegan dishes are among the student concerns that she wants to address.
Advocating for expanded menu options based on student feedback and encouraging more students to use pre-existing resources like Text the Manager are also on Behm’s list.
“It’s so important to have somebody that you feel comfortable talking to because sometimes talking to people higher-up is scary,” Behm said. “I think being able to come to me…[students] don’t have to directly go to the manager.”
Fowler is serving in the new Wellness Liasion role. The postion includes the former Public Safety Liaison responsibilities along with maintaining communication with the Health Center, Counseling Services, and student Wellness Advocacy Coaches, Fowler said.
Drawing on her areas of experience as a psychology major and a communications and media studies minor, Fowler said she recognizes that social interactions and mental health are important to a successful community.
Fowler said there are effective resources available to students on campus, but oftentimes students are unaware of their options for support. One of the main issues among the student body is a “sectioning-off,” Fowler said, where students only seek the support that is found within their small social groups.
Fowler emphasized her campus involvement as part of what will allow her to bridge segmented areas and form strong cross-campus connections. Fowler works as a tour guide and content creator in admissions, a Global Ambassador in the Global Education Office, and as a medical technician for student-athletes. She is also involved in the Student Events Board and the Black Student Union.
“I feel like everyone’s in my community because of how open-hands I am,” Fowler said.
Increasing and strengthening the social connections that students have with one another is one of Fowler’s goals as a representative, along with creating a space where mental health resources can be spoken of freely.
“This is a place that you can advocate for yourself and that you can really make whatever you want on this campus,” Fowler said. “This campus could really blossom nicely, we just need to build the ground for it.”
The only returning cabinet member, Olivia Calvert will serve again this year as the Accessibility Chair. Calvert is an Environmental Studies and Anthropology double-major hoping to minor in GIS.
“Being disabled at Washington College, I see day-to-day how there are so many barriers within the architecture and the communication between staff and students”
Building on her years of advocacy for accessibility, including successfully pushing for the construction of the campus garden ramp and continuing to advocate for accessible transportation on campus, Calvert said she is prepared to continue working to make the campus environment more inclusive for everyone.
Calvert did a walk-through of campus last spring with the respective directors of Buildings and Grounds and the Office of Academic Skills, where Calvert identified concerns including curbs that do not have aprons, accessible parking spaces that are not properly painted, frequently-used doors that lack push-buttons, and restrooms that are not accessible.
An ongoing project for Calvert has been accessible campus transportation to classes, which Calvert says not only helps students with physical disabilities, but provides support for students with invisible disabilities, injuries, or other health concerns.
“I feel like there’s a huge bridge that needs to be built between students and faculty and the environment around us that we are within in our daily lives around campus,” Calvert said.
Working to find donors who will help to renovate the bathrooms on campus that are not wide enough for wheelchair accessibility is one of Calvert’s projects this semester.
Calvert is also in the process of creating a club called Abilities United. Emphasizing that “we can’t do it alone” when it comes to advocating for accessibility rights, Calvert hopes that the club will create a space for both campus and Chestertown community members to discuss the experiences, needs, and rights of people with disabilities, both locally and across the country.
Amanda Campino, the Buildings and Grounds Liaison, will address communication gaps between students, B&G, and Residential Life concerning conditions in campus buildings and dormitories. Campino is a Resident’s Assistant and a Peer Mentor.
The Athletics Chair position, one of the two new roles added this year, is being fulfilled by Anna McCabe. As a representative for both competition and intramural athletes on campus, McCabe is responsible meeting with the Director of Athletics and for advocating for quality athletic equipment and facilities. McCabe is a player on the varsity softball team as well as an intermural athlete.
The new cabinet members can be reached with questions, concerns, or other points of interest via their Washington College email addresses, available in the SGA meeting minutes.
Photo Caption: Olivia Calvert, Posionettá Fowler, Sarah Behm, Anna McCabe, and Amanda Campino will serve one-year terms as representatives to SGA.
Photo courtesy of Gracie Heintzelman