Diversity Chair of Student Government Association, Vice President of IGC Chapters for the Rider University Greek Council, and active member of the Black Student Union—there’s not much that LaToya Gibbins doesn’t do. We were just happy we got a chance to track her down! Here, she tells all about how she manages to do it all, why she wants to be a lawyer, and her philosophy on work.
You are the Vice President of IGC Chapters for the Rider University Greek Council. What does that mean to you?
Being the Vice President of IGC Chapters for the Rider University Greek Council means so much to me. I’ve been an active Greek at Rider University since Fall 2008. The reason I wanted to become Greek was to be a part of the students at Rider who hold the torch for others to follow. Being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has shown me that I cannot let opportunities pass me by; I have to be the one to put things in motion. I decided to take this position on Greek Council to serve as a means to lead my fellow Greek students and to encourage other students to join the Greek community. If I had not decided to become Greek and take this position on the Greek Council, my college career would not be what it is now. Being a leader has taught me life skills that go beyond my college career and I plan to take things I’m learning now and apply them to my life.
The role of Diversity Chair of Student Government Association is a huge role. What would you say to someone who aspires to have that position in the future?
Student Government Association is one of the most prestigious clubs on campus. You control so much of Rider University’s campus and you have the ability to view Rider from the point of view of an administrator as well as a student. People should apply to any position of SGA because the experience you gain through that organization is insurmountable. If someone wants to attain the position of Diversity Chair my biggest piece of advice for them would be to find new and exciting ways to get the leaders of all organizations on campus excited about being diverse and aid them in celebrating their differences. Rider University has a range of students enrolled here and the best way for us to truly know ourselves as Rider students is to educate each other on who we are.
You are an active member of Black Student Union. Explain what this organization means to you.
Black Student Union is one of the greatest organizations at Rider University. The first club I ever joined was BSU in the Fall of 2007 and I haven’t looked back since. It amazes me to see so many people of color come together to discuss issues that plague our community. I continue to be a member of BSU because of the programs that this organization continues to put on. This year I was chosen to attend the Black Leadership Conference as a BSU student. I learned how to be a leader of color and to be proud of it and I owe this knowledge to BSU. Without this organization at Rider’s campus I may not have had the courage to become the leader that I am today.
You are involved in many different things on campus. Do you enjoy all of them equally or do you have one in particular that you have a special passion for?
I can honestly say that I do enjoy all of the clubs and organizations I’m apart of equally, but I do hold a special place in my heart for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Delta Sigma Theta has allowed me to meet some of the most dynamic and passionate women I will probably ever meet in my life. Being a member of such an illustrious sisterhood has taught me what it really means to be a sister and a friend. Whether I’m stepping at Meet the Greeks or volunteering at the Salvation Army, knowing that I have my sorors with me makes the world seem conquerable.
What is the most rewarding part of being involved on campus?
The most rewarding part of being involved on campus is taking an idea and watching go from your mind and manifest in form. I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of major organizations on campus and have had my hand in putting on campus-wide events. Being a leader on campus is more than having a title or knowing that you are a leader, but it is serving your community. Serving Rider University as a leader on this campus gives me more than a title, but has given me the blueprint to lead in all fields of my life.
And what about at Rider in general?
The most rewarding moment for me at Rider hasn’t happened yet. When I put on my cap and gown and walk across the stage and accept my degree, I will be rewarded for 4 years of hard work. Graduating college will mean so much to my family and knowing that I’ve accomplished the first step in making my dreams a reality will fuel me to continue my education. Graduating college will show my younger siblings that there are greater things in the world than what they know and knowing that my achievement will be something for them to strive for is the greatest reward of all.
You see yourself earning your Masters in Psychology and a Juris Doctorate. How long has this been your goal?
When we are kids we are asked what we want to be when we grow up, and I’m knocking on graduation’s door and I’ve been fighting with the same question. I’ve known since high school that I had a passion for aiding others, but I never knew how I wanted to do this. As a graduating senior this year, I’ve finally thought about what the world needs and what I have to offer to the world. I know that if I can change one person’s life then I have served my goal. A Masters degree in Psychology will help me gain the knowledge that I’ve been yearning for since high school and becoming a lawyer is the icing on the cake. I will have the power to aid people when they are their most vulnerable. I have seen plenty of my family members go through so much because they could not afford a good lawyer and I am striving to be a lawyer who serves their client and not their bank account.
Tell us about your goal to become a lawyer.
I knew I wanted to practice family law when I looked at the neighborhood I grew up in. People were deprived of basic necessities due to laziness and irresponsibility. A child should not have to suffer for the mistakes of his parent and should be afforded the comfort of having a childhood free of pain and suffering. I grew up in a household with no father and watched my mother struggle to raise me singlehandedly. I watched the same thing that happened to me happen to every one of my friends and I know that no one should feel this way ever again. I always knew that I wanted to keep the stand up for those who couldn’t and family law is my stepping stone for changing lives. If I was unable to practice family law I would try my hand at sports law and contracts. I’m a huge fan of all sports and working in that field looks like it would not be work to me, rather it would be a new way of looking at the games I loved to play growing up.
What qualities do you possess that you think will make you a good lawyer?
I think the two things that I have to make me a good lawyer are passion and my commitment to serve others. I have a true thirst for knowledge that is insatiable when it comes to the law. It is truly something that drives me and never ceases to amaze me. My commitment to serve others is a complement to my passion. I cannot truly help someone in need if I am not willing to serve them. Putting aside myself for others comes easily to me because the world is so much bigger than just LaToya Gibbons. Understanding others, understanding their problems, and aiding them to achieve a goal are what will make me a great lawyer.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is a culmination of things. I define my success a continuation of achievement. There is not one culminating goal that I want to achieve in life, but rather a succession of goals that I want meet and exceed. If I’m constantly moving for progression, then I am forever growing as a person. I do not want to stop achieving anything I pursue and I when I stop moving I know I have failed as a successful person. As long as I am constantly moving towards many successes, I will forever be successful.
Do you work to live or do you live to work?
As a college student I am working to live right now! I have to work to survive and to achieve what I want out of my life until I graduate and move on. In my everyday life, I definitely live to work. Whether this work involves service, putting on programs, or working at Target I live to constantly be moving. Work is not just about making money, but about making life changes and constant progression and I definitely live to change who I am for the better.