Jayla Knights stepped into the important role of Spokane Falls Community College’s Associated Student Government President. Knights says she wants to engage with SFCC’s student body to keep students lively and upbeat on campus.
“I’m a very personable person,” said Knights. “I want students to feel like their voices are heard, that’s my main thing.”
One of Knights’ biggest goals for her term is to foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity on campus.
“I want to build a stronger community across campus,” said Knights. “I feel like, once you show a united front it kind of makes it easier to do what you need to do.”
Knights previously held the position of treasurer for SFCC’s Black Student Union. Prior to this experience, Knights recalled she felt much more reserved at times.
“I moved from Baltimore a little over a year ago. When I first moved here, it was very hard for me to make friends, I was super shy.”, she said.
It was her time in the Black Student Union that led to her discovering her interpersonal and leadership skills that lead to her new position as student body president.
“Once I became their treasurer it was like, oh, okay, I can do things!”, she said. “That was cool.”
Knights says she values a face-to-face conversation, as she feels it’s the best way to accurately connect and make good decisions in a leadership role.
“My leadership style is very direct in a sense,” said Knights. “I can type an email all day, but I’m a very ‘sit down and talk’ person.”
Club liaison Jadeyn Hansel, shares a similar sentiment regarding student communication with their student government. As club liaison, Hansel acts as a link between the different clubs available at SFCC, serving as a primary point of contact for the college and its clubs. She highlights that ASG is committed to fostering a close relationship with the student body and their leaders.
“Students can come into the ASG office at any time and ask about what’s going on,” said Hansel. “Everyone is really happy to talk to them.”
In collaboration with Knights’ efforts to foster a stronger student community, Hansel hopes to boost the Activities Board and existing club’s own goals at SFCC.
“One of my goals is to really stress the value of the activities board,” she said. “We want people to know that this is a chance to make sure everyone is supported while advancing their own club.”
Additionally, Niko Sharma, the Activities Vice President, is motivated to ensure that himself and other ASG staff members feel more confident in their roles and abilities to support SFCC students.
“Initially, it was kind of a struggle, but so far we have pretty much got it,” said Sharma.
Jayla Knights shared that her biggest aspirations include being remembered as approachable and involved.
“I want to be remembered for being a person with good energy that is easy to talk with and a role model that actually represents the students in a way that made them feel represented.”
“I don’t want to create a legacy, per se,” she added. “But I wanted to enhance the legacy that was already there that ASG presidents already hold.”
