Jennifer Eaton was shocked frozen when she heard her name called out for Miss Homecoming Top 5. She could barely believe it as her supporters jumped and screamed.
Eaton, senior in psychology from Mobile, will spend the week of campaigns focusing on three main points that she feels cover a wide range of student issues.
Her platform, Enlighten with Eaton, will target student employment, practical inclusion and creating an authentic Auburn experience for students.
Eaton works in the mechanical engineering office and meets students who are unaware of how to attain a student-working position on campus. She found out about the job by word-of-mouth and wants to be sure others have the same opportunities without being in the right place at the right time.
“I would like to work with the Career Center to create a role for someone to help students find on-campus jobs,” Eaton said. “I have learned a lot from my on-campus job.”
Eaton said all students should have the resources they need to find out where they would fit in a working environment on campus.
As well as her involvement with student work, Eaton is president of the Black Student Union, which has grown her passion for practical inclusion. Eaton said she would advocate for safe spaces for smaller, marginalized organizations.
She said her work with BSU has shown her where the small organizations are and how they have struggled with feeling like they have a place they are meant to be.
She said while Panhellenic and the Interfraternity Council have chapter rooms and houses, National Pan-Hellenic organizations are not given such luxuries.
Eaton said she would like to work toward the University providing areas for all organizations to house their materials and meet in a place meant for them. This idea piggy-backs off of her last platform point of an authentic Auburn experience.
“It sums up giving everyone the opportunity to have a true experience,” Eaton said.
She plans to work with student organizations to ensure that all Auburn students, specifically transfer and international students, have a place where they feel welcome on campus. Eaton said as a campus and community, the Auburn Family is a prominent idea, but there is work to be done to ensure that the community is really one.
“I would like to enlighten the student population on these potential areas of growth for the Auburn Family,” Eaton said.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
