By Benjamin Bosler, Alumni Communications Intern
Student Alumni Board member Payton Grice, who is majoring in Food, Nutrition and Health, is holding out hope for future university events amid COVID-19.
Grice, director of senior awards, said though the Senior Awards Ceremony has been changed to address social distancing needs, she knows it will be a great and memorable experience for all involved.
Prior to holding her current position on the Student Alumni Board, Grice said she has been involved in other areas of campus life.
“I have been on the booster club, which does the pep rallies, and this year I’m the treasurer for them,” Grice said, “but we haven’t gotten to do a whole lot because pep rallies and COVID don’t really mesh.”
Grice, who rushed the Tri Delta sorority her freshman year, said she also holds the position of president for Greek life facilitators, which is responsible for holding beneficial programs for those just entering Greek life on campus.
It was through her involvement in Tri Delta that Grice said she found the Student Alumni Association.
“I wasn’t going to, and then I had a friend that was like, ‘Apply with me,’” Grice said, “so then I applied and got it.”
After joining, Grice said she found immediate comfort in the people around her. It was a welcoming environment that had a large sense of community, ultimately sparking interest in holding an executive position.
The Food, Nutrition and Health major also said it was many of the advisors with the Alumni Association who have shaped her passion toward SAB.
Grice said she has felt so much encouragement through the Alumni Association and highlights it as a key moment in her college career.
Looking forward, Grice said she wants to encourage incoming freshman to join SAA despite the experience being slightly different due to COVID-19. She regards the Student Alumni Association as a place of openness where anyone is welcome.
“It leads to other opportunities for you, because you’re making connections and just meeting so many people,” Grice said.
