UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State World Campus students have elected new leaders to represent them in the 2022–23 academic year.
The president-elect of the World Campus Student Government Association is Sabrina Smith, and the vice president is Danielle Ray. The outgoing leaders, president Mona Hill and vice president Ariel Hinojos, will graduate in May.
Penn State World Campus students voted online in an election in March for executive board positions and committee chair roles. The elected leaders will begin their terms on April 26.
The government, which formed in April 2019, advocates for the interests and concerns of the more than 14,000 Penn State World Campus students to enhance the student experience.
As the next president, Smith wants student leaders to focus on maintaining and developing ways for online learners to feel connected to the Penn State community. She said she wanted to participate in the student government since she enrolled in 2020, and she served as the government’s secretary in the 2021–22 academic year.
Smith also has taken advantage of other opportunities available to the student body, such as joining clubs and organizations and attending events such as Homecoming or the annual Student Leadership Conference.
“I want to make a difference and make it the best it can be,” said Smith, who lives in Tampa, Florida, and is studying for a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Journalism and Media. “I know how much I love Penn State World Campus and my time here, and I want to make sure every World Campus student has that same experience and graduates loving their time here.”
Smith said she is excited to lead the student body.
“I’ve had so much experience leading up to becoming president that I feel comfortable knowing what we’re great at and what we can improve in the World Campus community,” she said. “I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
The Student Government Association is supported by the Penn State World Campus Student Affairs office.
“We are pleased to see that students are taking an active role in their university and that they are committed to ensuring their peers are full participants in the Penn State community,” said Ashley Adams, senior director of Penn State World Campus Student Affairs. “We look forward to working with the new elected officers.”
The winners of the offices that will form the executive board of the World Campus Student Government Association are:
- Sabrina Smith, president
- Danielle Ray, vice president
- Angela Gulotta, secretary
- Daniel Serfass, speaker of the assembly
The winners of the committee elections are:
- Cody Buck, chair of academic affairs committee
- Erica Armstrong, chair of student affairs committee
The positions of secretary, chair of the government affairs committee, and chair of the marketing and communications committee were not filled in the election. A special election for these positions is being held at the World Campus Student Government Association General Assembly meeting on Zoom on Tuesday, April 26, at 8:00 p.m. (ET). The assembly will accept nominations and vote to fill the positions.
Visit the Penn State World Campus website for students to learn more about the new members of the student government.