Meet Nicole Griffin-Medina, Ximena Banegas Zallio, and Sam Embry
Nicole Griffin-Medina, Ximena Banegas, and Sam Embry for Student Body Co-Presidents
Nicole Griffin-Medina
My name is Nicole Griffin-Medina and I am a sophomore from California. I have been involved in Earlham’s Governance Process as a committee representative for the International Education Committee.
This participation allowed me to get involved with Model United Nations, NSO as co-convenor of the International and Multiculutural Committee, and as co-convenor of Homecoming 2012. I find myself familiar and comfortable voicing student concerns with Faculty and Staff.
I have come to appreciate and value the opportunities that Earlham offers for interested and active students to make a difference in the world around them.
As co-president, I aim to empower as many students to have the opportunity to make these changes possible.
I am part of a dynamic tri-ticket that will ensure that Earlham remains engaged with issues that will affect our diverse student body. We will promote school spirit, cooperation, and dialogue between all students. We will ensure that all students’ voices are heard, considered, and held in equal respect and attention. Our tri-ticket will promote Earlham as a “home” for all of us.
Our goal is to be accessible facilitators and serve as a voice box of our community’s needs and concerns by promoting thoughtful consensus. Moreover, we aim to strengthen our Student Senate. Senate will become the ultimate resource on campus for active student leadership at Earlham and the wider Richmond community.
Ximena Banegas Zallio
My name is Ximena Purita Banegas Zallio and I am from Bolivia. This is my second year at Earlham and I am pursuing a double major in International Studies and Business & Non-profit Management.
I first became involved with student government in my first year by convening the Student Organization Council, of which I am still a member.
I believe that running is a great responsibility and brings with it a lot of work, but I firmly believe that the student government is the representative voice of the student body. Therefore we should actively use this voice if we want to pursue meaningful changes in our community.
My experience in various organizations has taught me that we have the resources to overcome the problems that Earlham faces, we just need to get involved and get working. Sometimes we complain too much about how things should change, but it all stays in amazing ideas that just vanish eventually. Less words should be said and more action should be taken and this is my way of taking action.
I would put great emphasis on communication from the student government towards the student body. The students should feel that the student government is a vital aspect of student life.
I know for sure that the current student government has been working very hard on this aspect, but it is definitely something that needs to keep improving. Our presidency would consist of a hard effort to make all voices heard and respected.
Sam Embry
Hello, hello, my name is Sam Embry. I am a junior majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and am from New York City. I am the Vice President of the Earlham College Democrats, Vice President of the SOAN club, and play goalkeeper on the men’s varsity soccer team.
On a campus where students are given the chance to be directly involved in the school’s governing process, I think it is incredibly important for students to participate and feel that they are heard. I have seen many students attempt to have their voices and opinions carry significance on campus and would love to have the opportunity to make that happen in a way that produces visible change on campus.
I expect to face barriers and I expect to find the space around them in which students’ can be catalysts. I think that I have the ability to understand and be receptive to the varying communities within Earlham’s larger community and the determination to create a positive environment.
The role of the student government is to accurately represent the concerns of the student body.
Whether students are concerned about the relationship between students and professors, the hiring of new staff, the relationship between differing communities of students, security, residence life, or the state of social life, student government is responsible for representing their concerns.
In connection with student Senate, I would like to create a forum attractive to all students to share.