Setting the Advocacy Agenda

Service and the willingness to fight for the underdog has always been paramount to University of Maryland Eastern Shore junior Jada Wilkinson.

“It’s been a lifelong thing for me,” said Wilkinson, a native New Yorker who is dual majoring in special education and human ecology with a concentration in child development. “I hate the thought of people not being seen or having their voices heard.”

Having that sense of duty is what led to Wilkinson joining UMES’ Student Government Association in various capacities, including as SGA vice president during the 2024-25 school year and recently being elected as the 56^th SGA president for 2025-26.

“A lot of people saw my potential and believed this was a space for me to be in as a student advocate,” she said. “It was just a matter of adjusting to the learning curves.”

Wilkinson said those curves included learning how to delegate responsibilities and trusting her fellow officers in the process of accomplishing a goal.

“I learned the value of being on a team,” she said. “I like doing a lot of things myself and knocking things out, but I understood there are some things you can’t do by yourself.”

Being elected as SGA president isn’t a role Wilkinson takes lightly. As part of her presidential platform or “advocacy agenda,” she wants to focus on initiatives that include student safety, increased communication between the student body and administration, and increasing knowledge of campus culture.

“My biggest goal is to legitimize the look of the SGA,” she said. “People ask what the role of the SGA is, and I want to make those answers clear. I want there to be a greater interest in being involved with SGA.”

Wilkinson said having increased student body participation in the SGA allows for a greater exchange of ideas and representation.

“I want our campaign season to bring a lot of the hunger, drive, and ambition to be part of this,” she said. “It’s a great time for people to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their willingness to be the voice of the students, and I’m very excited about it.”