Bettering Cornerstone through Communication by Kimberly

Bettering Cornerstone through Communication by Kimberly - July 2018 Scholarship Essay

One of the biggest struggles for a student at any institution is ensuring that their voice is heard. Whether it be a public or private high school, a well known college or a small, private university, it's easy to be lost in the ever-shifting mass of students. Running for student body president is one way for one to take a step toward bettering school life for their fellow students.

If I were to run for Student President at Cornerstone University, my main goal would be to improve communication between faculty and students. It's incredible how many conversations I had either had or overheard that are centered around issues with Cornerstone, areas in which student satisfaction is lacking immensely. Whether it be concerning parking, chapel requirements, the dining hall or even the residence halls, it seems nearly 70% of conversations on campus include at least one of these things.

Being a communication major, I've learned through my classes the importance that communication can have on relationships, including communication between either students and other students, or students and staff. The lack of communication can often lead to a lack of satisfaction, which is exactly what I'm seeing at Cornerstone. One way that I believe that this communication can be improved is by creating a communication channel, or a space where communication can move freely from one level of an institution to another. A lot of students who have complaints often won't voice their opinions for many reasons. First, the student may be unaware on how to get in contact with a faculty member. Second, they may feel they're is no point, because things aren't going to change. Or, lastly, often times students feel like they aren't being listened to, and this is crucial to their satisfaction. Often times, students don't necessarily want anything to change, persay, they just want to feel like their opinion matters and that their voice is being heard.

That is what opening up a communication channel will do. It will allow students to freely approach staff with concerns, and leave knowing that they were listened to and that their voice was cherished. This channel could form in multiple different ways, but one way to form that space is through a student body president, myself, in this example. They could be the messenger between the students and staff, and help take steps to improve issues that arise regarding the student body. Another way to form this communication channel is through a monthly meeting. A few staff members from various offices and departments will gather on campus, and students can come and ask questions and voice concerns. This would be optional for the students, so those who had concerns could voice them freely, and those who didn't wouldn't be bothered with it.

There are many more ways to improve communication between students and staff at an institution, but I feel that this communication channel would be the best fit for Cornerstone University. So were I to run for student body president, my first priority would be making Cornerstone a place where every voice is heard.