Courtney Dunn
Candidate for Eastern Student Representative, 2014-2015
Junior, Theta Kappa Chapter, Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg, PA
Positions, other memberships, offices, etc., currently or recently held:
Explain why you are running for office and comment on any skills, experience, or personal qualities you possess that would contribute to your performing the following duties: promoting communication among chapters other than your own, producing official publications, assisting your Regent, serving on the Student Leadership Committee. Further comments or ideas are encouraged. Include your region and your first and last name at the top of the page. Please do not include sensitive personal information in your essay. Candidate essays will be displayed publicly before the election. Do not exceed 500 words:
I have decided to run for a student representative position for two specific reasons. The first reason I have decided to run is to gain the professional knowledge that is sure to accompany such a position. The second reason is to meet and connect with new people. Although I am currently involved in many organizations at my university, I recognize the benefits of expanding and meeting new people in new places.
Throughout my college career, I have held numerous student leadership positions pertaining to my Psychology and English majors. I have worked in the Psychology Department at Bloomsburg University for over two semesters. This position provides me with the opportunity to interact with students and faculty on a daily basis. This therefore allows me to gain experience communicating effectively and providing useful information in response to questions and concerns. Along with this job, I am an officer in the Psychology Association in which I assist in planning and facilitating numerous volunteer and group events. I also co-manage and update the Psychology Association Facebook page and therefore am responsible for informing fellow members about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Volunteering has been a passion of mine from the start of my college career, and so I enjoy getting other students involved. I have accumulated over seventy hours of community service during my college career. By getting involved with the community and campus organizations, I have not only learned how to be organized and prepared. I have learned how to care for others and help them reach their goals.
Along with volunteering and providing assistance for campus events, I am a GRE preparation program instructor. In this position, I am responsible for holding preparation classes and instructing students on how to improve their English and writing skills. I am also a writer for “The Voice”, the university newspaper. I have recently received my own column and put a lot of time and research into my articles in order to guarantee the validity of each piece. This position requires meeting deadlines, coming up with new material, and having a clear understanding of the needs and interests of college students. In addition to my articles published each week, I have had a piece published in “Warren”, the university literary journal. I will also be presenting a piece at the 2014 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention.
Over the past few years, I have gained a great amount of new knowledge and skills. I have learned to be organized and prepared for the benefit of a larger group. I have learned to communicate effectively with both students and faculty. I have even had the benefit of being published for a larger audience. By running for a student representative position, I am simply hoping for the opportunity to put these skills and this knowledge to use. By doing so, I hope to gain new experiences for myself as well as the people I am privileged to work with.
