• 2009 Class President Macon Hollister
New Senior Class President Macon Hollister plans to make several changes next year including going back to a few classic JMU traditions.
A major platform point for Hollister is to return to wearing black graduation gowns. She plans to do this in response to poor student reaction toward the change to purple gowns.
“I think that black gowns look more elegant while the new ones look juvenile,” Hollister said. “I’ve been waiting since freshman year to change things and now I have the potential to do it.”
Along with changing the color of the cap and gown, Hollister intends to raise seniors’ awareness of what is happening on campus by creating a Blackboard account to keep seniors updated.
Hollister was motivated to run for senior class president after watching the effect current class councils have had on the student body.
“I saw what a positive impact class councils had this year, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps and have an impact like that,” Hollister said.
Hollister made a long journey to JMU from her home state of Minnesota after her mother, who attended college in Virginia, required her to look at Virginia schools.
“I fell in love with JMU when I visited,” Hollister said. “The people seemed to like me and I could see myself here.”
Once on campus, Hollister involved herself in SGA and her sorority, Sigma Kappa. She currently serves as a teacher assistant for Professor Ron Wilson’s Sociology 210 class.
“I like being involved in programs that are unique to campus,” Hollister said.
After graduation, Hollister intends to pursue a law career.
“I want to help people who can’t afford lawyers and being a public defender would allow me to do that,” she said.
• 2010 Class President Nicole Ferraro
Ferraro has been involved with class council since her freshman year by holding the treasurer position for her freshman and sophomore classes. She decided that running for president would offer her more responsibility and a bigger leadership role.
“I want to do a lot with the position,” she said. “I really love JMU and I want to give back any way I can.”
One of Ferraro’s biggest concerns is addressing the visibility of the class council with the student body.
“I want to make sure the junior class is not overlooked,” she said. “They have the concerns that need to be met. All organizations cater toward freshmen and sophomores because they are incoming and the seniors are graduating. I want them to know there is still time to get involved.”
While Ferraro feels her predecessors have done a great job, she wants students to know their class officers.
She plans on doing this is through Facebook, e-mail and a Blackboard account.
“I think juniors are more apathetic than others to come to meetings,” she said.
Currently there are Facebook groups that juniors can join, but she also plans on using her personal profile to help meet new students as well.
“I want to find out what their main concern is,” Ferraro said. “It will happen through conversation and word of mouth.”
Ferraro is looking into junior class sponsored events such as the Holiday Tree Lighting and Twist and Shout.
While the events are a work in progress, there is one goal Ferraro plans to incorporate into her class president duties.
“I want to begin fundraising for the class gift that we give to the school in 2010,” Ferraro said.
While all of these goals are in Ferraro’s future, the visibility factor is her main concern.
“I want to work with other members of SGA to gain visibility,” she said. “I want them to use us as a tool for that.”
When Ferraro isn’t working on junior class goals, she enjoys watching and playing different sports.
“Soccer is my favorite thing in the world,” she said. “I also played lacrosse and tennis in high school and now just play them recreationally.”
• 2011 Class President John Sutter
Since he was eight years, old John Sutter has had a dream. To him the most exciting job on earth would be to be President of the United States.
“I have always wanted to be a politician,” said Sutter. “That’s probably one reason I’m big into SGA. I like the style of it, the democratic process and if I like it this much now it must be the right career path for me.”
Before rising to national prominence, Sutter plans to attend law school after graduation, although he is unsure of what law field best suits him. He plans to use his law degree to help him launch a political career.
“It’s always appealed to me to having the responsibility to lead the country,” he said. “It’s my personality. I love having responsibility; the stress, everyone counts on you to make the tough decisions, it’s always intrigued me.”
Sutter enjoys politics and the democratic process that allows various viewpoints to be brought forward.
“I love the SGA. I love representing people’s ideas and interest,” Sutter said. “I like debating on the floor and being involved in what is going on on campus.”
Since arriving on campus, Sutter has looked for ways to help the student body by joining organizations like MYMOM.
“I ran for president to represent the sophomore class in the best I could and I feel I could accurately represent their voices and opinions to the SGA,” Sutter said.
Sutter had a well-traveled childhood moving seven times and living in four states - Virginia, Illinois, Florida and Pennsylvania - due to his mother receiving promotions. He grew up loving sports, particularly football and baseball, which he played in high school. He is a fan of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates as well as the Chicago Cubs and Miami Dolphins, having lived in those cities as well.
Bringing his love of sports with him to JMU, Sutter participates in a frisbee league playing on the Quad every Sunday. Aside from athletics and SGA, Sutter enjoys laying out on the Quad on a sunny day and spending time with friends at TDU.
