Erin Dorozynski (left) and Cassidy Benson
Erin Dorozynski and Cassidy Benson have been elected President and Vice President, respectively, for the Student Association (S.A.) for the 2013 Spring and Fall semesters. Both women have been involved in S.A. since they were freshmen.
Ms. Dorozynski is a junior pursuing a double major in Business Administration: Management and Economics and a minor in Leadership Studies. She is originally from Pine Plains, N.Y. In high school, she was involved in student government and continues to be comfortable in that arena at SUNY Fredonia.
Running for President was something that Dorozynski felt she had to do in order to become more involved with the students, she says. During her time as Vice President, she was able to work with student groups, but felt that she was never able to get to know or work with students outside of a group organization. As President, she hopes to reach out to all Fredonia students, to help them understand what S.A. is and what it does for the campus.
She says that students in her position in the past have helped give her opportunities that she never thought she would have, and she hopes that by being president, she will be able to give back to Fredonia students. She hopes to make a better connection with students so they will feel more comfortable coming to her and other S.A. members for information or help.
“Fredonia has given me a family and a community to belong to here. It feels like home,” Dorozynski says. “I want other students to share my experience, because they are what make Fredonia feel like a family.”
Ms. Benson is sophomore chemistry major from Mayville, N.Y. Like Dorozynski, she knew that she wanted to be a part of student government right away. For Benson, running for Vice President was something that she wanted to do in order to work more with student groups.
“Fredonia has helped to build me into who I have wanted to become,” Benson explains, “and I hope I can help others become who they want to be, by supporting them through their group organizations.”
During her campaign Benson promised to visit each group at least once a semester. She is looking forward to getting to know them and intends to make recognizing the groups for their special events or achievements a priority. Both women have said that they are here because they want to be, and they hope students will take advantage of that – an approach that is very encouraging to campus administrators as well.
“Fredonia has historically had strong student government leaders, and Erin Dorozynski and Cassidy Benson will continue that tradition,” says Student Affairs Vice President David Herman. “They have great experience coming into their respective positions, and they are outstanding students and leaders. This is an exciting time in the history of Fredonia, and I know they will provide a strong student voice over the next year.”
After Fredonia, Dorozynski hopes to attend graduate school and eventually work for either a college or a non-profit organization that helps students realize their potential to achieve their goals. Benson would like to either attend graduate school or law school.
Joining them as fellow S.A. officers are Kayleigh Cole, Speaker of the Assembly; Chelsea Patterson, Student Comptroller; and Alexander Stone, Chief Justice. Ms. Cole is from Wheatfield, N.Y., and majoring in Childhood Education with an English Concentration - Middle School Extension. Ms. Patterson hails from East Amherst, N.Y., and is pursuing a double major in Business Administration: Management and Economics. Mr. Stone is from Victor, N.Y., and is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics.
