SGA President Alton Standifer Ready for New Year

Leadership is often defined as the ability to guide, direct or influence people. However, one Georgia Southern student sees leadership from a slightly different perspective.

“Leadership is leading by serving others,” said Alton Standifer, the University’s 2010-2011 Student Government Association (SGA) president.

His commitment to public service has impacted many programs both at the University and within the community over the past several years, such as Habitat for Humanity, restructuring the campus transit system, and introducing improved dining options for students.

“There is no question that Alton’s strength is his personality and ability to interact with students, faculty, and staff alike. Intelligence, likeability, empathy, responsibility, a genuine concern for others and flexibility are qualities he holds that will virtually guarantee his success as a campus leader and a future educator,” said Georj Lewis, dean of students.

Public service is second nature to the Monticello, Ga., native, and in many ways, his childhood experiences put him on the pathway to civic duty. “My family has always been involved in our community,” he said, speaking about his mother, a former town commissioner and uncle, a city councilman. Standifer’s reputation for solid leadership began even before he set foot on campus as a freshman at Georgia Southern, when he served as both student council and senior class president at Jasper County High School.

The following spring, Standifer pursued his goal of becoming a SOAR (Southern’s Orientation, Advisement and Registration) program leader, completing intensive team-building training sessions that focused on the inner-workings of all of Georgia Southern’s individual colleges and departments. Leaders facilitate two-day orientation sessions throughout the summer, introducing incoming freshmen and their parents to all aspects of campus life. He also joined Leadership 101, a series of weekly workshops that explored different topics such as r&#233sum&#233 building and communication in the workplace, while working at the Recreation Activity Center in member services.

Standifer’s involvement with the SGA began during his sophomore year, when he served as a senator for the College of Education. The SGA is the liaison between the student body and the administration, as well as the umbrella organization that supports more than 220 student groups on campus. The SGA also takes a proactive stance on drinking and driving by operating Shuttle Gus, a three-year-old program available every weekend for students needing a safe ride home. “The SGA rents cars from Enterprise, and we have 21-year-old volunteers take calls from students. We want to eliminate any tragedy,” he said.

During the past couple of years, Standifer has worked tirelessly as a team member for several progressive changes on campus. The first was distributing surveys to students asking for input about dining options at the University’s newest residence hall, Centennial Place. The success of that project led to Cold Stone Creamery and Einstein Bros. Bagels occupying space on the first floor of the building. Standifer is hopeful that other projects benefitting the student body will also be approved this year such as the restructure of the campus-wide dining plan and the move toward a tobacco-free campus.