Rachel Griffin, Jaz Wilson and Kennedi Bates are three Winthrop students with one thing in common, they’re black women who serve in profound student leadership roles at Winthrop with the intentions of making an impact and inspiring their peers.
At Winthrop, Black students take the lead in Winthrop campus life as our both our Student Body President Esther Eukaydo and Rachel Griffith are both black women and several of past Student Body Presidents and Vice Presidents have been Black, this includes Tadean Page, who served as Student Body President in 2018, 2019 – 2020 Student Body President Brandon Jackson and VP Imani Belton, 2022-2023 Student Body President Miguel Caldwell and VP Karl Vogl.
Rachel Griffin Student Vice President and mass communication major. Finds the most rewarding parts of her leadership experience to be the impact she has “not just on Black students but all students.” In her role as an RA and peer mentor, she’s been afforded the chance to make some meaningful relationships in the Winthrop community.
“I had another student literally put me in her Final Recap Project and she mentioned that she loved me. Things like that warm my heart and the bonds and relationships I have built with everyone while being a Black Student leader will always mean the most to me,” Griffin said.
Jaz Wilson, a student ambassador and psychology major is inspired by her potential impact on prospective students and their families,
“Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a new student and their family call Winthrop home and knowing that I contributed to that decision is a surreal experience,” Wilson said.
While being an ambassador has impacted her “in so many ways,” Wilson said, “I truly believe that being an ambassador is the gift that keeps giving and I Iook forward to the lives I’ll touch.”
“I always encourage those in my community to take advantage of what campus has to offer, be that change not only on campus, but in the world so I sign that being a black student leader means empowering those around me and in return, they empower me as well,” Wilson said.
Kennedi Bates, President of Winthrop’s NAACP Chapter and political science major says she “knew right away” that she wanted to make an impact at Winthrop and the Rock Hill community.
Bates said, “making sure that I was getting involved within organizations that aligned with my “why” and resonated with my passions was one of many steps that navigated me towards deciding to be involved within the organizations that I am currently serving in.”
Bates, who served as the 2023 Election Commissioner, Representative on the Academic Integrity Council, and also serving as the 2023-2024 Public Relations chair within the Council of Student Leaders, said she has been “blessed to see and contribute in so many leadership capacities here on campus that have not only given me a platform to showcase my light and work ethic but also provided me with experiences that continuously grow my leadership skills.”
“Being able to be a voice and to be included in the global effort to support marginalized communities means the world to me, while also knowing that my impact isn’t just stopping here in Rock Hill but reaching other communities,” Bates said.
“The most rewarding part in my opinion about being a Black student leader and also a Woman of color in leadership capacities on and off campus is being the representation for younger generations! Giving them hope and encouragement of seeing the opposite of what some societal norms have placed around the African American community that continuously tries to oppress and define us by stereotypes rooted within our history. Not only sharing hope and positivity to younger generations but also making your younger self proud of the impact that you’ve made!”
