Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Hi! My name’s Gabriella (Gabby) Capone. I’m involved in Enlace, Multi, the Chester Youth Court Group and I play field hockey. In high school I was an elected representative to Council for 3 years and Vice President in my last year. Like most Swat students, I led a lot of groups in high school and feel that I have the dedication and time management skills to do justice to this position.
I’ve attended StuCo meetings and want to get involved by becoming your Appointments Chair. Being Appointments Chair is an awesome way to have an impact. From the (aptly named) Parking Committee which assesses parking and allocates permits, to the Strategic Planning Committee which is outlining what Swat will look like in 10 years, committees address and shape the Swat experience. As your Chair I would make sure that we, the students, are taking advantage of our position on them.
I have ample amounts of dedication and caffeine in my arsenal to ensure that each applicant is informed of their application’s status throughout the process, evaluated fairly and thoroughly, and given constructive feedback on their application. I will keep you updated on committees’ statuses and vacancies because interested students should always be aware of their opportunities to get involved. Remember the Strategic Planning Fireside Chats? Even if you don’t, I think that students should be asked for their opinions more often (shocking, right?) I would like to create opportunities, such as chats or informal meetings, for students to give their input and to be included in the committee process. I also want to create applications that ask more committee-based questions; that way the applicant can easily contextualize their qualities in regards to their desired committee. Committees are our opportunity to collaborate with the faculty and administration – I will strive to select individuals who represent the student body’s opinions. At the same time, I believe that committees can benefit from diversity in thought, experience and outlook. As your Councilwoman, I think that my enthusiasm and willingness to talk to people, whether I know them or not, and to learn about what they want, would be valuable assets for StuCo. I’ve always been active in student government and believe that councils, with the right blend of members and open relations with the student body, can be really effective.
Feel free to email me (gcapone1) if you have any questions or comments!
