Student Leadership Spotlight

by Audrey Hunker

Student leadership is a vital part of Pitt-Greensburg and life on-campus. At some point in your college career you will interact with a student leader and perhaps become one yourself. While these leaders may be heavily involved on-campus, not everyone knows who they are or what they do.

“Our campus wouldn’t run without student leaders. Whether it’s a club president or a CA or a Peer Leader, things just don’t function without them,” said Brian Root, assistant director of Housing and Resident Life, concerning the importance of student leaders.

The various leadership positions all have their functions at Pitt-Greensburg. Peer Leaders spend a lot of time working with freshmen. They are on-campus over the summer assisting in SOAR and during the school term, act a teaching assistant in Freshman Seminar classrooms. Community assistants, commonly known as CA’s, play a key role in resident life.

“Student leaders on our campus, especially our CA’s, they have a huge impact because they are the people that a lot of our students will go to first,” said Root. “They wear a lot of different hats at a lot of different times during the year. I think it’s sort of a thankless position sometimes.”

Regardless of gratitude, students continue to take on these leadership roles. Adali Deiss, president of the Resident Student Council and the Bowling Club and a Peer Leader, has a simple but sincere reason for becoming involved in student leadership. “I liked to help people out,” she said. What she enjoys most is seeing people grow over time and fulfill their potential.

The job is not always glamorous though. “It’s a lot of stress and hard work,” said Deiss. “But the stress is worth it because everything works out.”

Most student leadership positions are available to students who are sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Due to our regional campus, these opportunities are much easier to take advantage of in comparison to a larger university. Not only do leadership roles reflect well in the professional world, but they allow you to learn new things.