New Student Body President
Reed has welcomed in the new year with a brand new Student Body President. Sophomore Andreanna Gude, AKA Andee, recently became the successor of Safi Zenger and has been learning the ropes of the presidency.
President Zenger was well respected by her peers and held onto her presidency for four semesters. Knowing they had big shoes to fill, Gude took on the challenge and is proudly representing minority groups on campus including students who are of low socioeconomic status, first-generation, and people of color.
First, to get to know Andee as a person, here are some fun facts about them: they hate avocados (of all shapes and sizes), dislike cartoons, and were born on Earth Day.
They stress the importance of representing those groups and plan to create an environment where everyone can thrive. By making sure that financial aid and internship resources are readily available to students, Gude is trying to make Reed a space where minority students feel well supported.
Gude is not only trying to make life as a college student easier financially, but also a little less stressful. They mentioned how they are trying to alter the activities the Gray Fund offers after hearing that student workers often can’t attend events, due to their specific times and short notice. Thanks to Gude speaking up, Gray Fund included a voucher for the movies that could be used anytime. This small victory shows Gude’s commitment to creating a fully inclusive environment at Reed.
As someone who has been part of many programs offered at Reed (PMP, Senate, Period Kollectiv, etc.), Gude has a lot to offer. Their wide range of experiences has helped them see the problems on campus – and they are trying to tackle them one by one.
One of the projects President Gude is currently working on is a job fair that could help the entire student body by introducing job opportunities to students and helping them make connections.
Another project they took on last semester and want to continue is cleaning up the Pride Center, which Gude mentioned was both “dusty” and “musty.” They wish to continue to make spaces that are clean and safe for students to use. Being a Renn Fayre Czar, they also want to implement more harm reduction practices and encourage students to take part in keeping campus safe.
In their two years at Reed, Gude has demonstrated their ability to engage with and care about the student body. Although they are very proud to be representing minority students, they also want to make sure that the whole student body is satisfied. This is a big task, but they are willing to take on the challenge and make Reed a place full of memorable and fun experiences. Gude also stresses the importance of transparency with the student body and how they will try their best to be as transparent as they can be. Finally, a message from our Student Body President:
“I want the student body to know that my interest in this position came from the goodness I’ve found at Reed. I’m so inspired by all the people I’ve met here and could honestly not see myself thriving as I have here at any other school. In that, I wanted to commit to the place that’s given me the confidence and tools to succeed. I want to follow in the steps of those who’ve mentored me and made a positive impact in my life through my leadership. I’ve found that holistic interpersonal success; socially, academically, etc. here at Reed comes greatly from the network of people you’re surrounded by and the resources you are provided. Given this, I want to help circulate support in all types of capacities to support the growth and success of Reedies.”