Position opens doors for SBPs

With only a few months until he finishes his career at UNC and his term as student body president, Matt Calabria isn’t sure what he’ll do when graduation comes — but he knows his experiences in office will help in whatever he pursues.

“It’s the end of one chapter,” he said.

Student body presidents take on a large role when they step into office — one that teaches them important professional skills.

“We learn a tremendous amount on how higher education works in this country, but also we learn more than is describable about organizational relations, about people, personalities, about politics and about public policy,” Calabria said.

But five decades ago, the University and student government were structured a little differently.

John Sanders, student body president from 1950 to 1951, recalled a time when the University was smaller and racially segregated.

Segregation was enforced at all public meetings. “Whites sat on the ground floors, and black people sat in the upper seats,” said Sanders, who remembers protesting the rule.

Sanders said that being student body president was “an opportunity to serve my fellow students in the University as a spokesman and advocate for student interest.”

During his time in office, he learned valuable administrative abilities. The job also gave him greater visibility among University leaders, including former UNC President William Friday and former Chancellor William Aycock.

Eventually, at the request of Friday and Aycock, Sanders joined the faculty, in time becoming the director of the Institute of Government. “(The organization) precluded any involvement in politics,” Sanders said.

Sanders acknowledged things have changed since his term in office. He said a larger University has more complex issues to deal with, which requires more personnel.

Robert Spearman, student body president from 1964 to 1965, said that at that time, student political parties had to nominate candidates for the presidency before they could run.

A major issue during his term was the civil rights movement, growing with the presence of a handful of black students on campus. Spearman said he remembers local restaurants and theaters that would not admit African Americans.

Though Spearman said that he enjoyed his time as student body president, he also was able to gain valuable political experience and a strong work ethic. “If you want to try to accomplish anything, you have to be diligent, energetic and hard-working,” he said.

Spearman has been able to put the skills he learned as student body president to use since graduating. He has practiced law in Raleigh since 1971, served as the Wake County Democratic Party chairman from 1979 to 1981 and was the state lawyer for John Kerry and John Edwards’ recent bid for the White House. In the 1980s, he was also chairman of the state elections board.

Matt Tepper, last year’s student body president, now is teaching sixth graders in New York through Teach for America, an organization that places college graduates as teachers at low-income schools.

During his term, Tepper said he learned to juggle responsibilities and follow through with them, as well as learning who to talk to in certain situations.

“When teaching problems come up or last minute things come up, I know who I can talk to,” he said.

As Calabria’s term nears completion, he looks back on his experience as what he calls a “leadership immersion program.”

“Leadership is more than organization and logistics,” he said. “It’s actually about compelling and impelling people.”

He also said he is learning a lot simply from the number of hours he spends in his office every week.

“Your effectiveness is not based on how smart you are all the time, but often how hard you work,” Calabria said. “It’s almost as if you get your (master’s in public administration) in a year.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.