One of the most important students on campus is Jonathan McDonald. In case people are unfamiliar with him, they shouldn’t be. The senior adolescence education major and history minor is currently the Student Association President for Oswego State. His main reason for running for president was “to push for student space on campus.”
Being SA president is not an easy task. There is a budget of 1.4 million dollars ever year that the president has to make sure is not gone over. The student association has over 160 organizations to oversee and also organizes events and programs to better the students on campus. McDonald makes sure that the money goes for the good of the student body. “There are a lot of expectations and criticism,” said McDonald. “All that is both a blessing and a curse.”
When he is not dealing with organizing events or dealing with budgets, McDonald is like many other college students and likes to hang out with his friends in his spare time. He also likes to play basketball, travel and go hiking. In the future, McDonald would like to travel more and add to his list of places he’s already gone, which include Benin, Jamaica and France.
After graduation, McDonald would like to live and teach abroad for a few years, which should help add to his list of places traveled. He also plans on continuing with politics in the future. “While most people are concerned with career goals,” he said. “I’m more concerned with life goals: running with the bulls, becoming fluent in Spanish, learning how to surf, etc.”
Despite the stress that comes with the job of president, McDonald has enjoyed it. “I have loved being President,” he said. “It’s given me so much insight but when my Presidency is over I will be happy to have a less hectic schedule.”