Leadership Highlight: Danielle Eubanks The SGA President of Clayton State University

In an effort to highlight the people who are leading graduate universities  across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to Clayton State University and did an interview with Danielle Eubanks the Student Government Association president.

The position of SGA president of a is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes. Eubanks, who is majoring in Business Management Minoring in Marketing & Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is a current senior.

We interviewed Eubanks, and talked to her about her position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2020.

Read the full interview below.

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far? 

As a campus President the biggest thing that I have learned so far is that ALL achievements are successes when you are helping a student on your campus. Whether it be that you are helping one student or one hundred, the small changes that we make today will effect those that come after us in great ways.

What made you decide to attend Clayton State University for undergrad? 

The size and culture of my school made me choose Clayton State University for undergrad. After my first tour of the school I could immediately tell that it’s family oriented culture was the place for me. Small class sizes, involved faculty, a beautiful scenery and overall a place that feels like home. CSU is definitely a place where everyone knows everyone, like family, and that is something that I looked for.

How has Clayton State University molded you into the person you are today?

Clayton State University has molded me into the person I am today by giving me the opportunity to be in spaces and places with people I would have never been with before. It has built my professional and networking skills and truly prepared and matured me for the world we live in.

What specific initiatives have you headed up this year and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?

One initiative that I have headed this year is finding a way to make the process that student organizations receive funding more organized and logical. Student organizations on our campus are one of the biggest attractions and it is important that they are able to continue having engaging and informative events to keep our students involved. Currently, it is difficult for organizations to actually retrieve their funds and understand why they are allocated certain budget amounts. I think that getting this entire process more organized and fair will build the culture of our campus, make students feel more satisfied and potentially increase our enrollment.

How is your school currently responding to the coronavirus and what is your SGA administration doing to help students?

Our school is actually doing many things to respond to the coronavirus. They have begun refunding students for fees that they will not be able to use this semester including housing and they have allowed students to continue staying on campus in emergency cases. They have also waived the SAT and ACT fees for incoming freshman and transfered all student activities online. Our SGA has been working diligently to answer all student questions and concerns especially regarding grades and a potential graduation for the Spring 2020 graduating class.

How is the coronavirus affecting SGA elections for next year? 

The coronavirus has affected our elections by pushing it back a month. We usually have our elections immediately after spring break in person but things had to be altered. We are now having our elections virtually and they will begin the first week of April! I am definitely excited to see how things will go.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me leadership is an even mixture of competency, influence, passion and vision. A perfect leader has the ability to successfully influence a group of people to reach a set goal or vision based on not only their competency but also their passion and drive.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2020?

I think that schools need to create more genuine interactions on social media with students in 2020 to represent themselves in this digital world we live in. We need more than just general updates and information. Sometimes you have to meet people where they are most comfortable and many students are more comfortable online than they are in person. Live video chats with real people, question and answer sessions and meet and greets are all ideas that schools can use to create better connections with students online.

Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture? 

I think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture because it allows us to share experiences and connect with like minded people without having to ever meet with them in person. There are not many spaces like this created specifically for young black students and I thank you all for that!

What do you plan on doing after graduation?

After graduation I plan to begin graduate school where I will be attaining my Master of Science in Marketing and hopefully working in a job in my field as well.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Eubanks for her work as the SGA president of Clayton State University.

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