When Clinton, Mississippi native Kendra Lewis first joined the Pre-alumni council in 2014, she immediately knew that being more than just a member in the organization was in her near future. After being voted President by the members of the student organization for the 2015-2016 academic year, Ms. Lewis understood that her aspiration to become the P.A.C. leader was now a reality.
Ms. Lewis is overjoyed to be the organization’s newest leader and says she was inspired to run for the position by Stacie Hopkins, former P.A.C. President.
“Her dedication to the organization, and her determination to finish strong was enough to speak for itself. She and I worked together on the Student Giving Challenge Committee to raise money for the university as Pre-Alumnae’s. In the ladder part of her reign she told me that she believed I would make a great president, and that was the only motivation I needed to stand tall and continue to carry the torch as a student leader.”
When searching for a presidential platform for her campaign, Kendra did not want to use a cliché catchy acronym because she feared that people would remember the acronym, but forget the message. Instead, Ms. Lewis aimed not only to assist people with remembering her platform but to also receive and understand her message of “Cultivating Longevity”.
“I want everyone to feel as though the day they chose to be a JSU Tiger they are committed to be just that for a lifetime be it in service, deed, or contributions/donations. Whether you are an alumni tiger, a pre-alumni tiger, or a tiger-to-come there is a responsibility to be filled. However, the beauty is in the cultivation because I want you all to understand that this is not a chore or a duty that we are required to do; it is an honor that we should all desire to do.”
During her tenure as Pre-alumni council president, she plans to host events that will connect alumni tigers, pre-alumni tigers, and future tigers academically, financially, and socially.
“I will ensure that Alumni get the opportunity to reach out, and they feel the satisfaction associated with giving back. Pre-alumni will be able to recognize, first hand, the benefits of the strength of the Jackson State University Alumni Association as students, and will be eager to return the favor by following in the philanthropic footsteps of those who came before them.”
Ms. Lewis says she has a different plan for future JSU students. “We have a few exciting activities as well as service projects that we will do in conjunction with them to offer some pre-exposure to the campus and its operating systems. Simply put, we are striving to “Cultivate Longevity” by creating traditions that will leave an impression on those that participate as well as spectate that will last a lifetime.”
The Pre-alumni council members have already been working precisely to ensure that this will be an extremely successful academic year. Kendra says the project that is going to require the most time and effort will be the organizations future JSU Royals pageant.
“I am really looking forward to working hand-in-hand with your children to put together an elegant showcase of our little tiger cubs. This will be one of the biggest connecting traditions in the history of Pre-alumni council and our team is overwhelmed with excitement. I presume that this program will become an annual tradition and serve as a huge fundraiser for the University as a whole on behalf of the Alumni Association. The pageant will be held in the spring semester of 2016.”
As with any leadership role, Ms. Lewis strongly believes that being the president of this organization will help tremendously with her personal and professional development. “I look forward to collaborating with the Alumni Association and working on sharpening the pipeline from Pre-Alumni to Alumni by networking and developing programs and systems that will allow us to personally interact.”
Ms. Lewis explained that when her tenure as P.A. C. president is over—there is only one way that she would like to be remembered. “I cannot help but think of “Thee Honorable Doctor Hilliard L. Lackey”– there has not been one Jackson State University seminar or alumni event that I have attended where his name did not come up in a positive manner. I have always admired him and viewed him as a mentor and a father figure, even though I have a wonderful father in my life. Dr. Lackey was the first person to recruit me from JSU as an eighth grader, and he has been here for me every step of the way. He often calls me “My Miss Universe”. It amazes me to know that he started the pre-alumni council and that he was a former president of the Alumni Association. Now, here I am, following in his footsteps, so when pondering how I would like to be remembered by the pre-alumni and the Alumni I would like to have the reputation and the loving Jackson State University spirit of “Thee Honorable Doctor Hilliard L. Lackey.”
There are three quotes that Ms. Lewis tries to live by:
1. “Put God first in everything you do, and He will order your footsteps in the right direction, and never lead you astray.”
2. “Live the ordinary life for as short as possible, and then maximize your surrounding opportunities and resources to become an extra ordinary individual.”
3. “I am so blessed the least I can do is use the gifts and talents that God has given me to draw others to Him.”
Ms. Lewis is deeply humbled by the challenge to lead the Pre-alumni council and realizes that the actions that were once required by her, she now has the desire to do them willingly. As with her position of president for the 2015-2016 academic year, Ms. Lewis plans to take initiative and lead by example by “Cultivating Longevity” for students attending Jackson State University.