Etowah County: East Broad, Valley Street and Wallace Drive campuses in Gadsden, Ala.
Gadsden State’s SGA president enjoying campus life
Caity Daniel scoffs at the notion that community colleges don’t provide an enjoyable student experience and campus life.
“If you want to have fun, you can certainly have fun at a community college,” she said. “The experiences and activities are there. You just have to be willing to participate.”
Daniel, an Oxford native, is serving Gadsden State Community College as the president of the Student Government Association. She has made it her mission to have fun and bring students together.
“I want to see unity among the various clubs at Gadsden State,” she said. “We come together and get to know each other. I’m encouraging others to go beyond their club and experience what other clubs have to offer.”
Daniel, 19, is no stranger to leadership roles. She served as SGA president at Walter Wellborn High School, where she graduated in 2022.
“When I enrolled at Gadsden State, I knew I wanted to be involved in campus life like I was in high school,” she said. “When I was asked to consider serving as the SGA president, I jumped at the chance. My goal is to build up SGA membership before I graduate in May 2024. I want to get as many students involved as possible.”
At Gadsden State, Daniel is also a member of Baptist Campus Ministries and is a resident assistant at Fowler Hall, the College’s on-campus dormitory. One of her more unique activities is being Swoop, Gadsden State’s mascot.
“It’s a lot of fun to go to campus events and go out into the community as Swoop,” she said. “The kids love Swoop. They get very excited when they see Swoop.”
During her first semester as SGA president, Daniel participated in Get On Board Day on three of Gadsden State’s campuses. The event is designed to connect students with on-campus clubs and organizations.
RIGHT: Daniel at Get On Board Day at Gadsden State Cherokee.
“I met a lot of people who are willing to help,” she said. “We’ve seen SGA participation increase. We meet at least once a month to discuss events and ideas.”
On the executive committee, Daniel is joined by Sabri Ross, vice president for the Gadsden campuses, and Tanner Boyd, vice president for the Ayers Campus. They, along with other SGA members, have hosted the Halloween Dance and Christmas Movie Night with members of fellow Gadsden State clubs and organizations.
“Our events have been a success so far,” she said. “Everyone especially loved the Halloween Dance. It was so much fun to hang out with other students that night. I met a lot of people I never knew before. We are going to plan more dance parties at Gadsden State.”
She said students need to make the most of the two years they have at Gadsden State.
“Get out there and meet people,” she said. “Develop friendships with those beyond your classes. Find someone you can lean on; someone that will help you build your community.”
In addition to her on-campus activities, Daniel is active with Breakaway Ministries and the Dream Center. She spends two days at the center, where they feed the students, teach them Bible lessons and provide arts and crafts opportunities.
“We want these children to know they are loved, and we really care about them,” she said. “They don’t always get that when they are home, so we want to make sure they feel valued while they are with us.”
Though she originally wanted to major in business, Daniel changed her mind and is pursuing a teaching career. She plans to enroll in elementary education at Jacksonville State University after graduating from Gadsden State.
“I couldn’t think of what I would do with a business degree,” she said. “I asked myself, ‘what’s going to make me happy?’ I have always loved being around children. I decided that education is the right path for me. I had to commit and trust that it would all be OK. So far, I’m pleased with my decision to attend Gadsden State as well as my chosen career path.”
