Ashley Shrez Odom
Junior
Starkville, Miss.
Real Estate
Ashley Shrez Odom, candidate for Student Association secretary, said she wants to increase diversity and involvement among the SA by offering more diverse activities to students.
“This is the people’s university, and I want everyone to feel a part of the Student Association,” Odom said.
Odom said she wants to add more programs that would appeal to a wider group of students. She said she realizes the SA sometimes lacks the funds to pay for more events, but she also thinks it occasionally does not push hard enough for new events.
“I think money that we do have left-we could use some of those funds to push for a speaker,” Odom said.
Although Campus Activities Board normally hosts speakers on campus, Odom said she wants to bring more educational speakers to campus.
“I want to see more different types of speakers to come on campus and get different organizations to co-sponsor, not just the SA, a speaker that all students can relate to,” Odom said.
She said that many students feel alienated, although the campus has a good minority representation.
“Being a minority on a predominantly Caucasian campus, I want to feel that this is my university as well. A lot of students feel like they aren’t invited,” Odom said. “I don’t want students to feel that way. It’s not just something made for one type of group.”
Odom also said she wants to see events like the Bulldog Bash-which attracted over 20,000 people last year-offer entertainment that appeals to a wider audience.