Future vice president’s dream comes true

The Student Government Association current president pro-tempore will achieve a long-held dream when she takes office as vice president.

“It’s been my dream to be vice president,” Alyssa France said. “[SGA has] been my driving force throughout college. This organization is the reason why I am still at Ball State.”

France will replace Chloe Anagnos, who will move up to the role of president. Both will be inducted this afternoon during the SGA Senate weekly meeting.

During campaign season, she said she originally wanted to run for the vice presidential role on a slate, but the death of two of her grandparents made her reconsider.

Instead, she took the role of Spark’s campaign manager and was then elected to serve as the executive board’s president pro-tempore.

France, a senior political science major, has worked with SGA since she was a freshman. She started out as a hall representative for Woodworth Complex in the on-campus caucus before moving to senator at large.

“I fell in love with [SGA],” she said. “I’ve enjoyed every experience with the organization, so I’m really looking forward to the new role.”

Jennifer Jones-Hall, director of student life and SGA adviser, said she feels France’s experience will help her over the next year.

“Alyssa was our president pro-temp, she has worked with our senate, she has been with student senate forever,” she said. “She is going to be a great vice president. I feel like it couldn’t have worked out any better.”

Over her three-year involvement with SGA, France has written a variety of legislations, bills, ordinances and resolutions and worked on around 10 different committees on topics ranging from core curriculum requirements to student involvement in the governmental process.

“It will be beneficial to have me in [the vice president office] with more control over helping people,” France said. “I have more SGA experience than anybody, so it will make it easier to help [the executive board] and be a communicator between our organization and administration.”

With SGA as the defining factor of her college experience, she said she hopes her work with the organization will serve her as she moves into the workforce with a degree in political science.

From the small town of Huntington, Ind., France said her involvement at college is big to her family back home. She said she dreams of being a United States senator in the future.

France also said she is considering graduate school or going to work on campaigns during the primary season for the 2016 election.

She said her change to the vice presidential position has taught her to make the best of every situation.

“I was unable to run for vice president, and I dealt with it the best I could,” France said. “I took another position to help the organization to convey my passion. Had I not run for pro tempore, I wouldn’t be moving up right now. Never lose sight of what you want to do.”