“Making power moves & no noise” was the campaign slogan that won the election for Michael Meadows, Grambling State University Student Government Association president 2016-2017.
Meadows, a Tallulah, Louisiana, native and youngest of five, calmly accepted the honor April 7 at Grambling Hall, on GSU’s campus. Meadows, who intendeds to be the third among his siblings to hoist a Grambling degree.
Courtesy photo
Michael Meadows will serve as 2016-2017 Student Government Association president at Grambling State.
He is shown in four different areas of his campaign.
Meadows described himself as a hard-working, determined, bold individual who has a desire to be a difference maker. He wants to leave a life-changing legacy. Meadows is, most importantly, a spiritual guy who believes that wherever God sends him, he’s willing to share the glory.
“I feel that I am called to be a difference maker and to empower youth in a major way,” said Meadows, who aspires to become an international motivational speaker. “That will play a major role in becoming an activist, to go out, teach the youth the importance to strive and be great to uplift, challenge and enhance student lives.”
Meadows, when faced with adversity, confides in his grandmother, Margaret Sheppard. A devastating time in his life was when she was diagnosed with Steven Johnson Syndrome. Despite the diagnosis she still kept him going.
His grandmother, lying in a hospital bed, prayed and called on God. “In spite of her going through that situation, she had a desire, a focus to call on God.
“Different things like that, and her lifestyle, showed me that life is going to knock you down, life is going to bump you, life is going to cause all kind of trials and tribulations. You have to have a strong spirit of determination, an engine called perseverance, most important, a driver called Jesus.
“My grandmother my has been my backbone throughout my life, during campaign week she was more excited then I was,” Meadows said.
In his hometown of Tallulah, Meadows is one of the founders of Young Men of Distinction; a male mentoring program.
“For those young males and the youth in the city of Tallulah, to see that someone came from the small city didn’t allow it to stop him from thriving and pursuing his own personal
goals and dreams in life. I’m just a vassal that’s setting examples to show them back at home that greatness is upon them, so they just have to walk in their calling and destiny,” added Meadows.
Meadows platform Making Power Moves and No Noise the word Power stands for Providing, Opening, Working, Empowering, Redefined.
Meadows explaining his platform said the Grambling State University student body have the power in us but we don’t know that we have it. My job as the SGA President would defintiely make sure that student body is receiving the best service as possible. GSU and the student body needs strong strategy that can advance SGA and advance the student body and also take our prestigious institution to another dimension.
Once in office Meadows wants to keep the student body supportive by implementing his vision. He wants to attack several issues. His main two visions are first researching why fees are constantly increasing, and second pool renovations. This semester he has worked closely with current SGA President Johnathan Wallace and Dr. David “Rusty” Ponton dealing with building concerns moving items in and out because Grambling keeps going over on their bid.
Meadows is currently serving as President Wallace chief of staff for 2015-16, he was also assigned to supervise over all administration council.
“I did a lot of things out of my role never complained,” said Meadows.
“I just believe in making sure that Grambling State University has what it takes to move forward. My job basically was making sure that when Johnathan Wallace was going and doing different things makeing sure Student Government was still flowing.”
“I would make sure class cabinets are being held accountable for their actions. Make sure they are implementing what they said during election. I could go on and on about my task but I actually believe that’s why the student body voted me for SGA President,” added Meadows.
Other issues he plans to tackle are campus safety, color printing and Aramark. With crime and drugs rates rising, along with dim lighting or no lighting at night Meadows has vison. One thing he wants to incorporate is the use of SGA golf carts. His team and him will transport young ladies working late nights to their dorm rooms. In addition, this summer he’s linking up with Ponton to get the cross walks painted, and find out why campus police are not always out.
Meadows said If they don’t want to really work or do their job to make sure Grambling State student body is in safe hands this not for them.
Jacob T. Stewart is the main computer lab on campus but it doesn’t offer color printing.What the student body doesn’t know is we have a Student Technology Committee. He will speak with the STC to insure that color ink is offered in every building on campus because us they students are paying for it. He feels we deserve the best because we are paying for it.
Also, he is strongly looking into allowing student to take food out of McCall Dining Hall. He is working hand and hand with food service director Eddie Rushing and assistant food director Carday Marshall. GSU is under a contract with Aramark, Meadows want to know when the contract expires or afford to buy the Aramark contract out.
“We have to understand if it wasn’t for the student there’s no Grambling. Our students have to receive the best service as possible. So they can continue to come to Grambling, stay at Grambling and also graduate from Grambling, added Meadows.