Meet the Officers: Polk State Winter Haven SGA President Kimberly Myers, VP Sinead Fernandes
From left, Polk State Winter Haven Student Government Association President Kimberly Myers and Vice President Sinead Fernandes.
The Student Government Association is the official representative of Polk State College students. The SGA acts as a liaison between students and administrators, organizes campus activities, and represents students in statewide organizations and legislative issues on a statewide and national basis. In recent years, the Polk State SGA has been the driving force behind a campus-wide recycling program and the removal of smoking from campus grounds. Officers are elected during the spring semester and serve one-year terms. Previously, News@Polk introduced Polk State Lakeland SGA leadership. Here, we meet Polk State Winter Haven SGA President Kimberly Myers and Vice President Sinead Fernades.
Polk State Winter Haven SGA President Kimberly Myers
Polk State Winter Haven SGA President Kimberly Myers, is pursuing her Associate in Arts degree at Polk State, with the goal of eventually moving on to Duke University, where she will study biomedical science.
A resident of Auburndale whose father died of AIDS, Myers plans to dedicate her career to researching a cure for the disease. While at Polk, she’s also had the chance to pursue her interest in archaeology. Earlier this year, she participated in the College’s first-ever study-abroad trip to Stonehenge, where she participated in an archaeological dig.
Myers previously served as SGA secretary.
“I didn’t want to stop there,” Myers said of ascending from secretary to president. “I wanted to do more for the students.”
During her term, Myers said she intends to emphasize campus events and student engagement. Two areas of particular interest to her are political awareness and providing food to needy children.
“It’s surprising how big of an impact we can have on changing laws,” Myers said of herself and her fellow students. “We need to vote in representatives and senators with the same goals as us to make changes. This semester I am focusing on making students aware of how to register to vote. We need the government on our side.”
Myers added a food drive to benefit a local school is also in the works.
Voter registration and food drives aside, Myers said SGA exists solely to represent Polk State students.
“SGA is the voice of the students. This is how students have a saw about what goes on at Polk,” Myers said.
And as for her presidency:
“I am not here to play around. I am here to make changes that hopefully they will see,” Myers said.
Polk State Winter Haven SGA Vice President Sinead Fernandes
Polk State Winter Haven SGA Vice President Sinead Fernandes came to America with her family from Kuwait when she was in middle school. By the time she was ready to start high school, her family had moved to Florida.
She attended Ridge Community High School in Davenport. While there, she dual enrolled at Polk State.
“I love the school and all my professors,” Fernandes said on her decision to continue at Polk to finish her Associate in Arts degree.
Fernandes is on track to finish her AA degree in 2015. Then she plans to move on to the University of Central Florida, and ultimately earn her master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is interested in computer engineering.
She previously served as parliamentarian of the Polk State Winter Haven SGA, as well as secretary.
Among Fernandes’ priorities for the current academic year is helping students to become more financially literate, especially when it comes to student loans and scholarships. In addition to events with a financial theme, she is also working to arrange opportunities for students to learn about effective resume writing and job interview skills.
“When students see me on campus, I hope they come up to me and ask for any information that they might need,” she said. “Any time they see me, just come up to me and ask what’s going on, tell me if there are any improvements that need to be made on campus, or just let me know if the SGA is doing a good job.”
The Polk State Winter Haven SGA office is located in WST-101A. Hours vary, but important notices are posted outside the office. The SGA meets every Thursday at 3 p.m. at WLR 308-H. Meetings are open to all students. Students may also get information about the SGA from is Facebook page, facebook.com/whsga.
SGA is one of more than 50 clubs and organizations offered through the College’s SALO (Student Activities and Leadership Office).