Carson Ingram, junior, and Katelynn Simpson, sophomore were elected as senators for the Associated Students of Fort Lewis College table Sept. 11 to serve for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Q: How long is a senator's term? Do senators often get reelected?
Senator’s run for a full school year and must be re-elected at the end of the academic year, Ingram said. For the past couple years, there has not been a full table and not many students have challenged those positions, therefore as long as there is an open spot on the table students will be elected again, he said.
Q: What year are you at FLC? What are you studying?
Carson Ingram: I am a junior studying biochemistry with a focus in medicine.
Katelynn Simpson: I am a sophomore at FLC, and I am studying anthropology with a concentration in cultural resource management.
Q: Where did you live before you came to FLC and what brought you to the school?
Carson Ingram: I lived in Phoenix and came to visit FLC after receiving a free application during my senior year of high school. On my visit I fell in love with Durango, this was it.
Katelynn Simpson: I lived in a small town north of Dallas,Texas called Van Alstyne. I had heard of FLC growing up through my aunt and my grandmother who is Native American. The driving force for my decision was because of the influence of my grandmother who had never went to college, the tuition waiver and the prominence of archaeology in the area. My grandmother wanted me to dive into my cultural heritage and become involved in the tribe. I have become more involved with my tribe, but have become more involved on campus as well.
Q: Are you involved in any other groups/sports at FLC? If so, which ones? How do they affect your job as student senator?
Carson Ingram: I work on campus as a student ambassador. Being an ambassador helps me personally connect with prospective future skyhawks. Being able to meet them gives me an idea of what people are looking for in college and ways to make FLC more inclusive. I am able to put myself out there, so students feel comfortable telling me, and other senators, what issues should be addressed on campus.
Katelynn Simpson: I am the adventure house coordinator for Bader/Snyder residents. In this position, I plan and facilitate trips and activities. I am taking twenty residents to Mesa Verde National Park to camp and hike and get outdoor education on the land on September 28th and 29th. Sometimes it is difficult to find time to between my two jobs, and I have had to grow into better time management skills.
Q: What drove you to become a senator? Carson, you have been a member in the past, why did you step down from your position and why did you decide to rejoin this year?
Carson Ingram: I participated in a program called Leadershape and met two previous senators, Ian Fullinwider and Roy Wade, who pushed me to run for appointment on the table as a sophomore. I applied for a scholarship to go to the Leadershape program when I applied to be a Resident’s Assistant. The program provided students with training in leadership skills. I eventually had to step down from my position as a senator last year due to time commitment that came with being an RA. At the end of the year, I decided that being a senator was more fitting for me than being an RA. I have been wanting to come back and be able to do more for students on campus as a part of ASFLC.
Katelynn Simpson: I actually did not know what ASFLC was until hearing about it through Cody Stroup, student body president. He reached out to me suggesting that I would be a good fit for the position. This past summer I worked for my tribe, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in Shawnee, Oklahoma, through a leadership internship program. During this internship, I worked with various departments including the tribal law department. ASFLC interested me because one of my life goals is to advocate for museum curation, to become an advocate for artifact reclamation in our tribe, and I can start early in this goal by being a voice for the students on campus and be a voice for diversity at the college.
Q: What responsibilities do you hold on the table and as a student at the college now that you hold the position as a senator?
Carson Ingram: As a student, I want to do well in my classes and keep up. If I cannot keep up with my academics, the main reason I am here, then I do not feel comfortable saying that I am a representative of the student body. To feel comfortable being a leader for the students I must do well in my studies first.
Katelynn Simpson: We speak for the students, and as a student in a legislative position I need to remind myself to be neutral on topics because I have to keep in mind that I am advocating for the people, not just Katie Simpson. As a senator I am responsible for change and action. I want students to recognize that ASFLC is here to help and one of my responsibilities is to show this, and be that change for students.
Q:What qualities do you see in yourself that will assist you in your role as a senator? What do you bring to the table that is unique to yourself?
Carson Ingram: I am a people person. I am able to work with different people from different backgrounds with different leading styles. I am adaptable and flexible and can collaborate with professors and different RSOs on campus to continue improving the community.
Katelynn Simpson: My love and passion for students and being personable is a quality of mine. People come from different tribes, different parts of the country and different parts of the world and everyone deserves to have their needs met. I am open to seeing others’ perspectives and connecting with them, and advocating for their needs. When needs are met, people want to be at this institution.
Q: What are your goals for contributing to ASFLC this year? what would you like to see as your involvement in ASFLC?
Carson Ingram: My main goal is to improve the student voting percentage in national elections. I want to increase the engagement of students and show that voting matters. In the 2016 election, the voting rate at FLC was 41 percent, and the average is 50 percent.
Katelynn Simpson: My top priority is to get a sweat lodge back on campus for our indigenous population. I also hope to alter the retention rate at FLC. I will be an educated part of the initiative to create programs that entice students to stay. By using both of my positions as senator and adventure house coordinator, I can determine the ways housing can be made more comfortable, and I am able to bring these issues to the table and move towards resolution.