Jalen Nash sees the relationships he’s developed at Syracuse University as an important part of his ability to create change on campus. Now, he hopes to put those relationships to use as the next Student Association president.

Nash, a junior political science major, said SA should be a communication facilitator — uplifting student voices and connecting them to university officials. His campaign is centered on three pillars: access, safety and communication.

As SA’s Student Life Committee co-chair, Nash organized a student safety forum on Feb. 18, following the assault of three students of color along Ackerman Avenue.

Nash is currently helping the Department of Public Safety with its efforts to add additional security cameras on Euclid Avenue. He said he hopes the campus can be more proactive when it comes to student safety.

Nash said students of color do not fully trust DPS. Solving the problems surrounding DPS-student relations, however, requires more people than just him and his running mate, he said.

“The entire university has to be collectively involved in the mission,” Nash said.

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Nash and his running mate Raymond Perez, a junior, said they are best equipped to organize the efforts because of the relationships they have formed with members of DPS, SU’s administration and students from all over campus.

Nash said he has worked with Bobby Maldonado, DPS chief, and Keith Alford, interim chief diversity officer, in the past. When concerns come up, Nash and Perez said they could reach out to SU administrators with ease.

“They have good outreach and widespread connection,” said Jeffrey Peterson, Nash and Perez’s campaign manager.

Nash met Perez before either of them started college classes. They met on the first day of SummerStart, an extended orientation program for incoming first-year students.

Although the two did not spend time together regularly, they remained friendly. Nash said Perez was the best person to match his passion about the university.

Nash is connected to the university in other ways, too. His parents attended SU, a legacy that he was excited to continue. Since his sophomore year, he has been a member of the Student Advisory Council, a group of students that offers advice to SU officials regarding the student experience.

Nash works as a global media fellow at the Blackstone LaunchPad, an entrepreneurship hub at SU, and was a Literacy Corps tutor for three years. He is also an assistant copy editor in The Daily Orange’s feature section.

“I’m very involved in campus, not because I want to get personal glory.” Nash said. “It’s because I grew up genuinely caring about the school, deeply. I want my kids to go here.”

Access to opportunities at SU is not distributed equally among students, Nash said. He said he hopes to form relationships with organization leaders to help them spread the word about opportunities. He wants to create a centralized place for students to find out about the opportunities on campus.

Anna Henderson | Digital Design Editor

Nash said he plans to create more spaces like the Student Advisory Committee, allowing more communication between students and SU’s top decision-makers. He said administrators should be represented at every SA meeting so they can better understand students’ concerns.

Regardless of the outcome of the election, Nash and Perez said they will continue to try to make SU a more accessible, connected and safer university. It’s not about him and Perez, Nash said.

“We think in order to be a great leader, you have to serve your community,” said Nash. “You can’t have ego in that.”

DISCLAIMER: Jalen Nash is an assistant copy editor in The Daily Orange’s features department. He does not work for or interact with the News section nor does he influence its content in his capacity as an assistant copy editor.

Published on April 3, 2019 at 8:33 pm

Contact Patrick: pjlineha@syr.edu