| by Derrick Bean COE Public Affairs Writer Alisha John has many goals as your 2010-11 Engineering Student Faculty Board (ESFB) president. John’s overall objective is to increase recruitment and retention rates at the college. To do so, she wants to help create new events, and get more people to volunteer at each event. But John says she can’t do it alone. “I feel that as students of the College of Engineering it is our duty to help ensure that it is as successful as possible now and in the future,” says John. “I believe that collaboration between students and student organizations helps to enrich the college experience of all those involved and leads to better results.” John says she ran for ESFB president because she is passionate about what the board aims to accomplish. “I believe that effective lines of communication between students, student organizations, faculty and staff are essential if a university is to provide the best possible education for its students,” she says. “I want to do my part to ensure that the College of Engineering provides not only an excellent academic experience to its students, but a great life experience as well.” The ESFB president-elect presided over her first board meeting — the last of the semester — Wednesday, April 14, one week after being elected. John, a soon-to-be chemical engineering senior, seemed comfortable in her new position. She says she gained leadership skills as president of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, this past school year. “I am able to run more effective and efficient meetings, delegate tasks and promote success within a group,” she says. “In addition, I gained new contacts through interaction with administration, faculty, staff and my fellow students. I believe that these contacts will help my term as ESFB president be a successful one.” John isn’t new to creating programs. “One specific program I would like to continue and improve upon is the Freshman Outreach Program that I started last fall which aimed to aide incoming Freshman with their transition into the university setting,” she says. John has been involved in many campus activities in the past year. She started the fall 2009 semester off with a bang by volunteering as a victim in the dunk tank event during the Welcome Back Picnic. John took part in an on-campus a cappella choir called SYNCS (Singing Young New-age College Students). She also points to her drive, tact and “excellent communication skills” as further qualifications. Vanda Ametlli, former ESFB president, says a good ESFB president needs to be a “good leader,” noting that her “communication with student organizations’ leaders is a major factor in ESFB’s success this past year.” She adds that assigning tasks to other board members will allow her to accomplish more goals. But Ametlli’s “most important” piece of advice is to “assure that student needs are addressed,” she says. John says she is grateful to be given the opportunity to give back to the College of Engineering. “I am looking forward to this coming year and hope that ESFB will continue to be successful under my lead,” she says. |