106th SGA President Interview
Q1: You’ve held leadership positions at Towson before becoming the SGA president. What initially inspired you to become involved in student leadership and what led you to pursue the presidency?
Rayne: I’ve always been passionate about some former student leadership, specifically in middle school. I was quite outspoken. I just didn’t know how to properly channel outspokenness. And then I ended up, um, having the opportunity to join SGA during COVID. From there, I got to experience the Prince George’s Regional Association of Student Governments, which was the regional SGA for the county public school system I was in. And I ended up learning about so many different roles, testifying, Annapolis, and just so much more. And that’s really how I fell in love with student leadership. And I stayed in SGA and formed the student leadership, all up and all throughout high school up into my senior year, and I was also able to do the Maryland Association of Student Councils as well. So I was really involved in student government. I knew when I eventually chose a university to attend, I also wanted to be in student government there as well. So that’s what led me to wanting to be a part of SGA here at Towson. And then when I was able to join the SGA, seeing it, I fell in love with the community. I fell in love with advocacy again, and it was just, you know, if I had the opportunity to lead the organization, I would love to do that.
Q2: How has your background, personal experience and involvement in organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Incorporated, shape the way you let, shape the way you lead and represent Towson students?
Rayne: I would say, really, holistically overall, everything I’ve experienced really develops me as a leader. I like to be a leader that really pulls from the different, kind of how you said experiences I have. So, specifically not even with me being a member of Delta Sigma Data Sorority Incorporated, but even from my time being in JROTC in high school, and then also doing army ROTC here at Towson University in Loyola University for 2 years. Those experiences have helped shape and develop me. My freshman year was, if I’m raising a chair for the Black Student Union, and I was SGA appropriations committee chair. So I was really able to dabble into different forms of leadership and pull that all together into helping mold who I am now. So I would say really overall, most of my experiences holistically make me up in order.
Q3: What is one of the biggest challenges that you face in your relationship journey so far? And what do you hope to accomplish during your presidency?
Rayne: I would say a challenge that everyone faces is, self-doubt, can sometimes be a play, and I think it’s something everyone battles. I’m quite confident in my abilities and confident in myself, but, you know, there are some hard days where I’m just like, man. I hope I’m doing, you know, the best that I can. I hope I’m moving to my best ability. So what I’ve learned to really do is pace myself and understand that I’m only one person. And the fact that I do care so much and I do put so much focus on pouring myself into SGA means a lot and I know that many other students and other student leaders on campus see it as well. My biggest goal is to align with the 160 administration’s pillars that come from the 4UTU campaigns. So really that transparency, unity, forming that connection with you, that’s a big thing. I really want to form a connection with the student body. I want to be known as a president who students were able to interact with and see who was inviting, opening, but also making changes within SGA as well. So another big push for us was making sure that we’re updating SJ internally, helping students with the budgeting process, and more, making sure that we’re paying attention to what student organizations need more support in, whether that’s funding or whether that’s even supporting other places. Really just being active with the student body is one of the biggest things that I want for this administration this year and pushing for the advances of the students as well.
Q4: Outside of SGA, who is Rayne Riviera-Forbes? What do you enjoy doing in your free time and what’s something about you that students might be surprised to learn?
Rayne: Outside of SGA, I know sometimes most people tell me they meet me and they think I’m just all business and all structure, which is true. A large chunk of me is a very structured and organized person. I care a lot about what I do, but as I have SGA, I’m a regular student like everyone else. So everything you probably have done or do, actually, to the fullest extent, I’ve probably done before or currently do. I hang out with my friends. I sleep in on days. I have best friends that I hang out with and I have friends who I just do all types of things with, you know, like me, I’m a person, so I laugh, I joke, I cry, I scroll on TikTok. I do everything that everyone else does. I think that’s one of the biggest things for me, because you kind of always see this SGA president, but I’m also Rayne, your classmate, too, right, and your friend? So that’s a big thing. And then I would also say that alongside, but outside of SGA, I really just like being a homebody. I think because I travel so much and because I do so much for my different leadership roles, I love the times when I can be home, most of the time I’m going to be home by myself or home, with my family, or home with my friends. You know, that’s a big thing for me. So I really prioritize that self rest day, self-care, it’s a big thing for me. And I would say something that a few people know about me, but it’s not, like, quite big. I love collecting coach bags. I have a coach. That’s one of my favorite brands. I love their bags since I’m like a little girl. So I’m like a big bag enthusiast and I’m not gonna say how many bags I have, but the overwhelming point is that I build a shelf for them. in my room.