Take a moment to get to know Elizabeth Simcoe, Student Body Vice-President.
1. Tell us about yourself. I’m from Kansas City, MO. I’m a senior and my major is Cell and Molecular Biology (Pre-Medicine). I have one older brother who graduated from Mizzou.
2. What have you been involved with on campus? I’ve been involved in many different organizations on campus. A few of them are:
Fraternity and Sorority Life
Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority
Community Relations Coordinator on Greek Week Committee
Panhellenic Counselor
Student Government Association:
Chief Financial Officer
Director of Administrative Services
Student Body Vice President
Other involvement:
SOAR Leader – Bear Essentials: Community Engagement Moderator
University Ambassador
URSA Major
3. You were a SOAR Leader. How did that experience help you to be a better leader? I learned how my leadership skills meshed with other leadership styles on a team and how to confront differences. I also learned about my communication style and how to work both on a team and alone.
4. How did you get involved in SGA? What have some of your triumphs been? I joined SGA because it seemed like a great way to stay in contact with other SOAR Leaders who were a part of the organization. I joined the Public Affairs committee because it seemed to have cool projects that related to the university’s public affairs mission. Some triumphs that I have experienced in SGA have been learning how to plan and execute projects and ideas.
It can be hard to turn those ideas into a reality on campus, but it is so worth it to see your work come to life. Another triumph that I have experienced was learning how to work with administrators. They were always super kind and understanding, and willing to help me with my projects. They helped me learn a lot about professionalism
5. What made you decide to run for Student Body Vice President? I found a huge amount of passion for SGA throughout my years serving on cabinet. I realized that I wanted to continue growing my knowledge of the university. I learned I could serve as a mentor for those younger than me, inspiring them and guiding them to make change on our campus.
6. What are your goals for your time as Student Body Vice President? My team and I have a list of around 30 initiatives we plan on completing during our term that you can check out on the SGA website. My personal goals for my time as Student Body Vice President are:
1. Hone in on my leadership and communication skills and really refine them when working with both students and administrators.
2. Facilitate that same growth in my team and cabinet members while helping them successfully execute their initiatives.
3. Enjoy my last year of college.
7. Why should students get involved on campus? How do you recommend they go about getting involved? I firmly believe every student should get involved in at least one club/organization/activity whatever it may be on campus. It will help you find your community. There are so many different groups you can join, and we really do have something for everyone.
8. What is your favorite Missouri State tradition? Why? My favorite Missouri State tradition would probably be going to football games. I feel like it is one of the few times almost every student is in one place.
It’s really awesome to see everybody gather for a similar cause and promote school spirit. They are also just a lot of fun to dress up for and cheer at!
8. What advice do you have for our family members? My best advice is to work with your student to devise a plan for how you are going to stay in contact with them when they first get to college. My mom and I agreed on FaceTiming each other every Sunday (of course we still text and call in between) to catch up with each other every week. Additionally MSU does a really great job of having at least one long weekend or break a month that students can come visit home during.
Also, I think its really important for family members to reach out about attending events or visiting students. For example if your student plays soccer, be the one to ask them if you can come watch one of their soccer games. It really means a lot to us students to see you care.
9. What advice do you have for our students? When I was a SOAR student my SOAR leaders told me “don’t go home until MSU feels like home” meaning that you shouldn’t visit your hometown until you have found a place where you feel comfortable getting social and emotional support on campus. I followed that advice and still to this day believe it brought me to where I am now,.
Because of my SOAR leaders, I have found an incredibly supportive group of friends that will always have my back and I can lean on them in times of need.
10. What’s your favorite thing you’ve done at Missouri State? My favorite thing I’ve done at Missouri State was being a SOAR leader. It led me to meet my best friends that I still hang out with to this day. SOAR opened the door to so many opportunities I never even knew were possible. It’s safe to say that being a SOAR leader changed the course of my college career.