Meet the SBP Candidate: Madelynn Kaufmann

I| Photo credit to Shannon Mason

Madelynn Kaufmann, SBP candidate and RTS major, worked this year as Director of Student Organizations on the Cabinet. As she grew into her role, Kaufmann began to see the change she wanted to make at King’s, constantly writing ideas down that she hoped would be of aid for the next Cabinet. She created the image of the ideal way to bridge the gap between the Cabinet and the student body and hoped to pass her passions to the leaders of next year. 

Early into the spring semester, she realized that she could be the next SBP.

“I think that turning my frustrations, and helping turn the frustrations of others, into something positive and forward-thinking is what I want to achieve as SBP,” Kaufmann said. “I want us to move forward as a community and not regress and kind of just brew in those frustrations.”

In her platform, Kaufmann focuses heavily on revising systems to better allow the student body to have a say in administrative changes. She wants to improve communication while also maintaining a relationship with her fellow students. 

“In the past, when I’ve had concerns, I haven’t known what the proper avenues are to express them because I wasn’t in student leadership at the time, and I think that was incredibly frustrating,” Kaufmann said. “Now I have the tools, but I want to make sure those same tools are available to other people. That’s something I have consistently disliked about this college: not knowing what the proper avenues are to register complaints and make my voice heard.”

Kaufmann outlines this need for proper communication in her platform, saying that she will work with the Director of Communications to create a regular council newsletter with updates from the Cabinet and administrative changes. 

“The cabinet and council and statesmanship aren’t in some like ivory tower with the rest of the student body on the ground; we’re on the same level,” Kaufmann said. “We are just as important as each other.”

If elected, she plans to choose her Cabinet and immediately publish her goals, allowing the student body to hold them accountable. 

Kaufmann plans to implement community-wide spiritual life events that will take the place of Fall Retreat next year. Though she was disappointed with the cancellation of Fall Retreat, Kaufmann has chosen to focus solely on the next school year and ways to make up for the lost time as a unified campus. 

“First and foremost, we need to focus on what we have this coming year and plan to compensate for the loss we have experienced,” Kaufmann said. 

She plans to advance the community aspect of King’s by making information about service activities more accessible through working with Community Engagement. Kaufmann also plans to allow students to request or advertise an event or initiative that they would like to see brought to the attention of the student body.

As Director of Student Organizations, Kaufmann says she has seen firsthand the needs of  student organizations. She plans to further develop training for student orgs and develop better systems and representation through the continuation of The Committee of Student Orgs. 

Along with systematic changes, Kaufmann plans to prioritize the student body. She wants to implement more student forums and allow for more administrative feedback through personal meetings with her and her Cabinet. 

“I think that it’s time we acknowledge, honor and celebrate every member of our community,” Kaufmann said. “I want them to know that if they bring concerns to me, I will listen. But, listening alone is cheap and that to the best of my ability, I will try and attach action to the listening.”