As the next Student Body President election nears, I’ve found myself thinking about on my administration and the many challenges student leaders face at Carolina. This year, our campus has seen the toppling of Silent Sam and the removal of his pedestal. We’ve responded to the resignations of our chancellor and system president and, through it all, my administration has tried to pursue the values and goals of our platform in the daily work of Student Government.
But now, as I look back on my term, I realize that my greatest challenge as a student leader will be to pass the baton. The next student body president will have one of the most consequential terms in recent memory. They’ll be the sole student voice at the meetings where the Board of Trustees will decide the fate of Silent Sam. They’ll be tasked with advocating for our campus during the search for the new chancellor. They’ll be asked to respond to challenges and fix problems that neither they nor anyone else at Carolina can foresee.
In times like these, student leadership matters more than ever. I have faith in the next generation of students on this campus, but I also know that leadership takes belief. So to the student body, I say this: Your engagement matters because this University matters. And to the next generation of student leaders, I say this: Your leadership matters because Carolina needs leading. Now more than ever.
Savannah Putnam
Student Body President, ‘18-‘19
