Promoting Mental Health, Leadership Opportunities
MONMOUTH, Ill. – Promoting mental health awareness and leadership opportunities are top priorities of Monmouth College’s new student leadership for the 2020-21 school year.
Abierre Minor and Brenda Matias-Cruz, two Chicago residents who will be seniors next school year, were recently elected president and vice president, respectively of the Associated Students of Monmouth College, the student governing body of the College also known as ASMC.
“Our goal is to use our experience to make our campus community stronger,” said Minor, a political science and international studies major. “We are visionaries, passionate and committed to making students’ voices heard.”
In addition to her previous experience with ASMC, Minor has served as head resident of Fulton Hall. The founder of Monmouth Advocating for Multicultural Advancement and ASMC Scots Roundtable Talks, Minor was the recipient of a Student Project Grant from the College’s Center for Civic and Social Change. At last month’s Highlander Awards, she was honored as the Intercultural Life Outstanding Student of the Year.
Matias-Cruz is majoring in sociology/anthropology with a minor in Global Food Security. A Graduate School Exploration Fellowship scholar and a Newman Civic Fellow, she has been involved on campus with the student organization Raíces and with religious and spiritual life.
One of the executive officers’ major goals for next year is to increase mental health awareness on campus by collaborating with the College’s Counseling Services to create two programs each semester.
“In addition, we want to create a student-led grief network program,” said Minor.
Another priority is to create a mentorship program that focuses on fostering leadership opportunities for underclassmen, in addition to the College’s Stockdale Fellows program.
“We want to cultivate a stronger campus community by creating opportunities for students to build positive relationships with their peers and administration,” said Minor, who succeeds Magdalynne Bruckner ’20 of Aurora, Ill., who has served as the organization’s president for the past two academic years.
“It has been truly an honor serving for the past two years as part of the ASMC leadership teams,” said Bruckner. “These ladies are ready to continue efforts on making change on the Monmouth College campus.”
“I view my presidency as a continuation of Maggie’s hard work,” said Minor. “I plan to continue her retention initiative and her community-building programs.”
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