Members of largest Jepson class elected to senate

Members of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies’ largest class ever held elections Tuesday to select the class of 2017 senatorial representatives of the Jepson Student Government Association.

Sophomores Molly Aaronson, Carney Judge and Joshua Young were elected to the three available JSGA senatorial spots for the class of 2017.

“I am elated," Young, Richmond College ’17, said. "I never take things for granted, and am honored that my peers are entrusting me with this position. I understand that a lot of responsibility comes with it and am ready to lead with the time I have left."

The three representatives will serve on various committees that are overseen by six vice presidents under the JSGA structure, said Charlotte Denoyer, president of JSGA and Westhampton College '15. They also work to solve the problems of the student body as a whole, not only Jepson students, Denoyer said.

Each representative said they were looking forward to serving on JSGA and hoped to be the connecting factor between Jepson School students and Jepson School faculty.

“I believe my role as a JSGA senator is to be an active representative of the students who elected me ... Sort of like a mediator between the students and faculty who can allow unheard ideas to become exposed and perhaps improve some qualities of Jepson students' lives,” Judge, RC ’17, said.

These sophomore senators are part of the largest ever Jepson School of Leadership Studies academic class. The School inducted 96 sophomores and three juniors Nov. 3, 2014 –the largest class admitted in the school’s history.

Aaronson said she had joined because Jepson challenged you to think critically about the world and constantly modify your perception of leadership.

Although the expansion of the school is exciting, a few Jepson students have expressed concern that Jepson course sizes will grow too large, and there will be a lack of spots in classes students hope to take.

“It’s so exciting that more students want to join Jepson, but I’m just a little worried about the increased class sizes and the inability for underclassmen to get a spot in the classes they want … It’s already pretty tough,” said Annie Schonberger, a leadership studies major and WC '15.

As a result of this expansion, the Jepson School has added new faculty in the recent years and are increasing the number of certain courses offered in order to maintain course quality and ensure classes are a maximum size of 20 students or fewer, said Sandra Peart, dean of the Jepson School.

The Jepson School of Leadership Studies was founded in 1992 and was the first institution in the world to offer leadership studies as an undergraduate degree.

Contact reporter Juliana Sorrentino at juliana.sorrentino@richmond.edu