Students at North Carolina A&T State University have elected their top leaders for the 2009-10 academic school year. Syene Jasmin has been elected president of the Student Government Association (SGA), Ngozi Opara, “Miss A&T State University,” and Austin James, “Mr. A&T State University.”

Jasmin, a senior journalism and mass communication major from Trenton, N.C., is raring to implement his new objectives for the year.

“As SGA president, my goal is to first and foremost brand a new Aggie culture, which is a change in the mindset of our student body as it relates to political participation along with restoring accountability to the students,” the new leader said.
“Secondly, I will establish transparency within the SGA and lastly, I will redefine SGA as a means to uplift the student body and assist the community of Greensboro.”

Jasmin, a political activist, was heavily involved in President Barack Obama’s campaign. He served as a deputy student coordinator and deputy field organizer. During the campaign, Jasmin organized voter registration drives, where he was instrumental in getting thousands of students to vote and marketed events that included celebrities such as Jay-Z and Raven Symone.

He is the son of Jennifer Stewart and Traver Stewart.

Opara, 21, hails from Washington, D.C. She is a business and finance major.

“Becoming “Miss A&T” feels surreal,” Opara said. “Miss A&T” has always been a position that I have admired from afar but never really thought I’d be staring it right in the face. I am so excited about the things to come, and truly honored to be a part of such a great legacy.”

“My main goal as “Miss A&T” is to work with the women on this campus to build better relationships. I would love to see a campus where the women are more supportive of each other, and empowered to excel. I plan on having a symposium in the fall where as women, we can all come together and learn the things necessary to achieve this goal and form relationships.”

Opara is a member of the Board of Appeals for the A&T’s Department of Business and Economics and served as “Miss Black and Gold” for the Beta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. She won second place in the General Electric Case Study Competition, where she spent several weeks researching the effects light consumption, water wastage, and excessive car fuels have on the N.C. A&T campus.

She is the daughter of Edith and Festus Opara.

James, 20, is an elementary education major from Hartsville, S.C. He is the first student to serve in this newly created position, “Mr. North Carolina A&T State University.”

“I ran for the position of “Mr. N.C. A&T” because I truly felt I embody the characteristics necessary for holding the position which entails leading the males as well as the entire student body, as well as developing relationships with faculty, staff, alumni and the community,” said James.

“I wish to create a relationship in which the students feel as though they can relate to the SGA officers in a manner that their ideas and problems can be voiced without restraints. My goal is to change both the mindset of the misguided males on campus as well as the perceptions of these males. My main goal is to ensure that as many males as I can effect are making strides towards graduation and life after.”

He is the son of Wanda James.

Other members of the SGA Executive Board are Valerie Z. Dudley, vice president for internal affairs; Travis Jackson, vice president for external affairs; Daniel Davis, attorney general; Mason Jones, treasurer; and Whitney Dickens, secretary.