Since entering Oswego as a freshman biochemistry major, much has changed for Becca Witkin. Now going into her senior year, a political science major with two minors, she has also been elected Student Association President.
“I’ve been incredibly involved at Oswego in many different aspects since I was a freshman and there’s things I would like to see accomplished at Oswego before I leave and [the presidency] was the right venue to do so,” Witkin said.
Some of these accomplishments include a designated student activity space, a better relationship with University Police and better communication to the organizations and students.
“There’s a lot of great things that happen on this campus but people don’t know,” Witkin said. “People don’t understand what Student Association does and Student Association sometimes doesn’t understand what clubs do.”
Witkin said she and her vice president, Anthony Smith, are working on better communication.
She said her favorite part of the position so far is seeing all parts of campus and all different people from campus, some she wouldn’t normally interact with. The most difficult part is the time commitment. Even with the position just starting, Witkin said the hours rival a full-time job.
Former S.A. President Jonathan McDonald warned her of the long hours before she took office. Recently, Witkin and McDonald have worked together preparing for the upcoming year, but this is not the first time the two have worked together. Witkin took the position of Social Program Coordinator at SABP this year, a position McDonald held the previous year. But they have known each other since Witkin’s freshman year.
She described McDonald as both a mentor and a friend.
“Every outgoing president has the responsibility of training the incoming president,” McDonald said. “Luckily this year I had known Becca previously… through involvement on campus since she was a freshman.”
McDonald has offered advice, even giving her readings on management, organization and positivity.
“It’s really up to her at this point, what she chooses to really focus on and what she chooses to kind of put to the side, she’s got so many options,” McDonald said. “From my perspective, she’s still trying to figure out ‘what is the best way to achieve my goals’… She definitely wants to do the best job possible.”
A final piece of advice from McDonald is in trying to help whoever comes in. He said the president has a great pool of resources and contacts, even if they don’t know the answer, they have the tools.
This lesson was taken seriously.
“Don’t ever hesitate to come talk to me about any issue,” Witkin said.
“If I can’t solve it or don’t know how, I will point you in the right direction of someone who can, and if I can I will do everything in my power to help you out. I’m trying to be a true leader of the student body, a voice for the students and I want students to be able to come to me.”
