Junior from Nigeria Selected to Represent SUNY Plattsburgh on Statewide Student Committee

A SUNY Plattsburgh finance major from Nigeria is one of only 27 students statewide to be selected for a new initiative that will give students a seat at the SUNY table.

Mildred Adjaero, a junior international student, was nominated by Jackie Vogl, director and associate vice president of the college’s Global Education Office, and Amelia Lushia, assistant director, to serve on the new SUNY-wide Student Voices Action Committee. Adjaero is a long-time student worker in the office.

“Mildred worked for us as a GEO ambassador throughout summer 2020 and continues to mentor new international students,” Lushia said.

When Lushia asked her what made a good global education ambassador, Adjaero told her “transparency and to be a good communicator.” She also mentioned trust.

“It’s important to trust your team and those above you,” Adjaero said.

Lushia said she’s delivered on those ideals.

“She was willing to go above as campus needs demanded,” Lushia said. “Because of this, she was one of the first names I thought of when asked to nominate someone for this committee.”

“She will be a terrific ambassador for our campus,” Vogl added.

“I have Amelia and Jackie to thank for seeing potential in me to serve Plattsburgh,” Adjero said. “I feel honored and excited to be serving on the committee and look forward to being a voice for the Plattsburgh community.”

Adjaero said her role on the committee, which will meet remotely every month, is to be someone that students can reach out to who can then take their concerns to Albany on their behalf.

“The primary purpose of the committee is to be a platform where student representatives can advise on emerging and critical issues facing students,” she said.

“SUNY students face immense challenges every day, and more work is needed to create new opportunities to solicit valuable feedback that will lead to real change,” Adjaero said. “As a committee, we hope to create these changes, leading to a better student experience and a stronger SUNY system.”

According to SUNY, the program “is a mechanism for giving visibility to SUNY’s unique focus on shared governance throughout the system. It also provides support for strengthening shared governance at the (state) level, a the campus level and between and among the campuses and SUNY System Administration.”

Adjaero joins Chancellor Jim Malatras, Dr. John Graham, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, Eunice Lewin, co-chair of the SUNY Board of Trustees Student Life Committee, and 26 student representatives from SUNY schools that include Geneseo, Downstate Health Sciences University, the University of Buffalo, University of Albany, Stony Brook, Oneonta and New Paltz, among others.