Presidential Tickets
Class Years: Jaden Farris-Sophomore, Praise Korie-Sophomore
Email Addresses: jfarris1@Umbc.edu; pkorie1@umbc.edu
What relevant experience would you each bring to the positions you are seeking?
Jaden is a second-year, First-Generation Political Science student in the Honors College with 9 years of student governance experience. He currently serves as the Chief of Staff for SGA. Previously, he was a First Year Ambassador serving on the SGA Steering Committee and later served as Director of Government Affairs in SGA. Jaden also currently serves on the Coordinated Community Response Team, the Mandatory Fee Advisory Board, a senior leadership search committee, and the University System of Maryland Student Council as Director of Government Affairs.
Praise is a second-year Psychology student on the pre-law track and a member of Shriver LLC. After attending the STRiVE Leadership retreat, she felt motivated to join SGA as a First-Year Ambassador. Praise serves as Vice President of the Pre-Law Society, Secretary for the African Student Association, a student leader in Best Buddies, and is currently Director of Civic Engagement and Government Affairs for SGA.
How do you intend on fulfilling your roles while working alongside other members of SGA? What strategies do you use to address conflict?
As President and Executive Vice President, our leadership will be centered on empowering others to reach their full potential. We believe that leadership is not about holding power, but about distributing it.
As such, co-creation will be central to our administration, where different perspectives are not only embraced but celebrated. We believe that conflicting ideas often lead to the most creative and sustainable solutions, and we are dedicated to fostering an environment where respectful dialogue flourishes. Drawing from our previous facilitation training, we will approach and resolve conflict with openness and fostering open communication to reach common ground.
By fostering an environment where everyone is heard, we will work with SGA members to create solutions that favor the diverse needs of our student body. We will transform challenges into opportunities, to create a stronger and more inclusive community that thrives on collaboration and shared purpose.
How do your approaches to leadership complement each other? How do you navigate disagreements between the two of you?
Our leadership styles complement each other by balancing careful consideration with bold action. Jaden’s transformational leadership style is particularly well-suited to offering vision and taking control of and managing complex situations with ease, while Praise guarantees that decisions are carefully considered. Further, we both enjoy developing strong, interpersonal relationships within our teams, allowing for mutual trust and collaboration.
When there are disagreements, Jaden’s courage to tackle challenges head-on is tempered by Praise’s patience and reflective nature. Together, we prioritize open communication so that when disagreements arise, we can address them constructively. We listen and challenge each other. In this way, we can disagree without losing sight of our shared vision.
As such, we discover common ground and make strong, sustainable decisions. Our confidence in one another’s strengths means that we yield when the other knows better, so that our leadership is dynamic and effective, allowing for collaboration and forward-thinking ideas.
What is your vision for UMBC and the UMBC student body? How do you intend to strive toward this vision?
Our vision for UMBC is a beacon where the term “inclusive excellence” is not a mantra that we chant, but one that we live. Where all students are empowered to excel academically, socially, and personally, where their unique gifts are nurtured, their voices heard, and their potential realized.
At the center of that vision is you: the student body, not just as recipients of an education but as creators of your UMBC experience. We are committed to the students, not as a tokenistic gesture but as the driving force that informs every decision that creates the UMBC experience. Our campaign is based on this simple principle, not on lofty promises but on the commitment to making your ideas, hopes, and frustrations part of everything we do.
We want students to believe that UMBC is their campus and that they can be the architects of what they aspire UMBC to be.
Class Years: Eli Gendleman-Junior, Shriya Menon-Junior
Email Addresses: elijahg1@umbc.edu; smenon1@umbc.edu
What relevant experience would you each bring to the positions you are seeking?
Since his freshman year, Eli has been involved in SGA, starting as a First-Year Ambassador, where he received mentorship from SGA leaders. He then served as a Senator and founded the Dawg House, a school spirit organization uniting athletics and students to foster campus pride. This year, he has continued supporting this initiative while expanding his leadership as SGA Vice President.
Shriya has been a part of SGA for the past year, quickly becoming immersed in her role. As Finance Board Chair for the 2024-2025 academic year, she founded and led the very first Finance Board initiative, passed over $100,000 in allocations, and helped fund 200+ school events, ensuring student organizations receive the support they need.
Together, their experience in finance, leadership, and student engagement has prepared them to advocate for all students and strengthen the role of SGA on campus.
How do you intend on fulfilling your roles while working alongside other members of SGA? What strategies do you use to address conflict?
Eli and Shriya’s primary goal is to keep SGA focused on enhancing the college experience for all students while ensuring each student can shape their own unique journey at UMBC. As leaders, their responsibility is to support students and provide opportunities that align with their individual needs and interests. Conflict is inevitable when working with passionate individuals dedicated to improving our campus, but it also creates opportunities for growth. The key to resolving conflict is remaining focused on SGA’s mission and the goals of its initiatives. When disagreements arise, they prioritize stepping back, assessing the situation, and understanding different perspectives. This approach fosters collaboration and ensures SGA remains committed to advocating for all students.
How do your approaches to leadership complement each other? How do you navigate disagreements between the two of you?
Eli and Shriya’s unique journeys in SGA, diverse experiences, and complementary leadership styles enable them to critically assess and strengthen the structures around them. Their different perspectives provide a well-rounded approach, helping them identify multiple pathways to achieve their shared vision for UMBC. Eli excels at building strong connections and fostering collaboration across groups, while Shriya focuses on developing strategic plans and ensuring their successful execution. This balance of teamwork and adaptability allows them to tackle challenges effectively and drive meaningful change.
When they are faced with conflicting opinions, they prioritize direct and constructive conversations, weighing different perspectives before making a decision. By focusing on the bigger picture and being open minded, they ensure their choices align with their shared vision for UMBC.
What is your vision for UMBC and the UMBC student body? How do you intend to strive toward this vision?
Our vision for UMBC is a campus where students feel enabled to have the ideal college experience, but more importantly one that aligns with their wants and needs within any community. Whether through student organizations, campus initiatives, or innovative opportunities for engagement, we want to ensure that every student has the support, resources, and freedom to make their time at UMBC truly their own.
To bring this vision to UMBC, we plan to introduce initiatives that enhance student engagement and representation. One approach is establishing interest groups to advocate for students outside of SGA, ensuring that diverse voices are actively heard and represented. Additionally, we aim to create focal points for campus unity, encouraging all students to participate and connect. Lastly, we are committed to strengthening collaboration with student organizations by actively promoting their events and initiatives.