Leadership Highlight: Georgia State University’s Student Government President James Wilson

In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to Georgia State University and did an interview with James Wilson, the 2024-2025 Student Government Association president.

The position of SGA president is a highly respected role, and there is a special pride in being elected by peers to lead. Wilson, who is majoring in Public Policy w/minor in Urban Education, is from Covington, Georgia.

We interviewed James Wilson and talked to him about his position, goals, future, and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2024-2025.

Read the full interview below.

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

The biggest thing I’ve learned so far as an SGA President is that the best leaders are the people who understand people– how to work with them, build relationships with them, compromise with them, care for them, respect them, and support them. If you take care of your people, they’ll take care of you.

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

I decided to attend Georgia State because I needed to go to a school that would force me out of my comfort zone. High school had made me accustomed to knowing everybody and leading everything. I came from a small town, and I almost went to a small college, but I decided to go to a University where I’d have to build and work to regain my standing and my comfort. Forcing myself out of my comfort zone to go to GSU remains the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

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

Georgia State University has molded me into a servant-leader. Coming out of high school, I was a leader, but I didn’t fully understand that there can be no REAL leadership without service. Service to others is what legitimizes our authority and leadership. My friends and peer mentors really inspired me to take up service not as a hobby but as a lifestyle, and that has changed my viewpoint on everything.

What specific initiatives have you headed up this year (or are planning), and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?

As President, I’ve spearheaded a couple of really impactful initiatives. The first was a commuter/non-residential meal plan to give more students access to healthy and low-cost meal options on campus. That was huge for me because I was a commuter student during my first year at GSU, so I know how hard it is to eat well away from home and not break the bank.

Another initiative I’m super proud of is my fundraising efforts for our student emergency fund. My first ever “adult bill” was a car repair tab for $1,800 my freshman year. I just couldn’t pay it on my own (and I didn’t want to call home asking for money yet), so I applied for and received funds from GSU’s student emergency fund. That was a lifesaver for me– so now I’m working with some of our alumni and community partners to raise at least $15,000 for the fund. I’m determined to see that through.

I’ve got many other great initiatives coming up, too, like a Scholarship Fair for our student body. I’m blessed to have had a predecessor who laid a great foundation for me and for the senators and officers in my organization, who are true stars and visionaries.

How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?

One of the first things I did as President was partner with our school’s counseling center to put on a full week of suicide prevention programming. In previous years, GSU only had a day or two of suicide prevention events and programs, this was their first year doing a full week and SGA was proud to partner with them to put on panels, mental health fairs, informational instagram lives, and more. In addition to that, I’ve now filmed two videos with our counseling center to promote their services to the student body. Promotion and marketing are so crucial, students have more mental health resources and supports than ever, but all that is of no good use if the students themselves don’t know what they have access to. Impactful health programming is a part of my administration’s strategic plan, and we’ll continue to look out for the mental health of our student body.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me, leadership is about inspiration. Inspiring others not just to follow you but to follow a path. That path might be related to education, health, and the environment; it could be anything really. The most important skill and qualification of a leader is the ability to inspire action in others. Anyone who’s ever been in a position of leadership– from CEOs in large companies to big brothers and big sisters in our homes knows how hard it can be to get other people to do something. That’s why we need leaders. Leadership isn’t about control or power, either. Managers control people– leaders inspire people.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2025?

Schools need to recognize the difference between staying current and pandering. We don’t need to see people 4 times our age doing a dance they saw on tik tok, we want to see each other. When I go online to my University’s website, I want to see my friends and my peers. I want to see them and I want to see the great things they’re accomplishing. There’s no amount of glossy graphics or viral trends that can replace the power of seeing others do the very thing you’re striving to do– whether it’s leading an organization or graduating. Schools should always remember, your students represent you better than anything ever will.

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

Watch the Yard is crucial because it’s a space where Black people can go to see the success and the lives of other Black people. That’s so much more important than people think it is. You can find Black grief, Black suffering, Black shame, and Black pain almost anywhere you go– people will pay to see it even. It’s heartbreaking sometimes to be a Black person in this country. On the other hand, you know when you go to places like Watch The Yard you’re going to see Black excellence, Black strength, Black beauty, and Black intelligence. It doesn’t matter if you’re Greek, an athlete, in SGA, or a brand new freshman, Watch The Yard is uplifting the culture for everybody. Black people deserve to see the success and the lives of other Black people.

What do you plan on doing after graduation?

After graduation I plan to devote my career to bettering education policy. The way we educate students in this country is a direct reflection of the health and strength of this nation. Right now, we’re not doing a great job. Students deserve more, they know it and we know it. So, with my degree, I’m going to work and lobby for the success of our public schools and public colleges and universities.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend James Wilson for his work as the SGA president of Georgia State University.

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