Senate Welcomes Coy, McClain
The 2023-2024 Senate has been decided, and there are four new student leaders! Arianna Coy and Chloe McClain will be stepping into roles as Diversity Committee and Campus Improvement chairs, respectively. Jon Smail and Rebecca Duren will take over as Chaplains.
Arianna Coy
Coy is a sophomore majoring in Interpersonal Communications with a minor in Bible and Theology. At TFC, Coy has been involved with events such as New Student Orientation, Homecoming, Future Scholars, and Campus Preview. She has also done volunteer work on SGA committees and the rock-climbing gym, while working in the Alumni department and the Office of Admissions. She has enjoyed these challenges as they present opportunities to show new students around campus and help them fit into the community.
“The Senate includes people who want to listen and who want to care for the student body. From there, these selected student leaders can bring information to other leaders, faculty, and staff,” Coy said.
The role of the Senate is to connect with and listen to the student body more closely than a hired staff member could. For example, students would consult with the Diversity Chair if they felt misrepresented or left out. Starting last year, the Diversity Chair and the Campus Improvement Chair have worked together to make campus more wheelchair accessible for the students with disabilities. Thanks to their teamwork, Timms Hall, the Student Center, and Fant Hall have automated doors that open with the press of a button.
“I am excited to learn with one another and find creative ways to celebrate our various forms of cultures and differences,” Coy said.
Being a safe space and helping people be heard is the core tenet of the Diversity Committee. As she makes the transition into her new role, Coy looks forward to seeing other students’ passion for community. In the future, events and chapel services will be implemented by looking for ways to improve what the Diversity Committee has already done, such as the Black History Art Show and Hispanic Festival.
“My goal is to help those throughout the student body feel heard and know that I want to hear them,” Coy said.
The biggest impact in her life on campus has been staff from the various departments she has worked for. They have been very welcoming in their desire to get to know their student workers better. Warm hugs and an invitation to share about her day has helped Coy develop a new outlook on leadership. Seeing the amount of time and effort that the staff put into getting to know her has been a big help in the way she builds a relationship with God and approaches ministry.
Chloe McClain
Chloe McClain is a rising senior majoring in Ministry Leadership with a double minor in Bible and Theology and Marriage and Family Counseling. McClain has been involved in several leadership positions during her time at TFC which prepare her for her role as Campus Improvement chair. She is a member of the Ministry Leadership Department’s Student Advisory Team, helps lead Bethlehem Baptist Church’s children’s ministry, works as the Visit and Event Coordinator’s Assistant and Admissions Ambassador for the Office of Admissions, and has served as a New Student Orientation leader. In each of these roles, McClain says she has gained essential leadership skills such as public speaking, delegation, and administrative and organizational abilities.
McClain is excited to step into her new role in the fall because she is passionate about making the TFC campus a better place. As an Admissions Ambassador, she gives tours to potential and incoming students, so she has become very familiar with the campus.
“We are the first point of contact for incoming students, and these students’ tours are their first experience with our campus. Through giving tours, I have been able to see the beauty of campus through the eyes of students and families who are visiting for the first time,” McClain said. “However, I have also seen the downfalls and less-than-ideal parts of campus. I want to improve this campus and make it better not only for these incoming students but even more so for the students that live here. I want to bring students in while also retaining students. This is where current students live, this is their home. So, I want current students to be proud of their campus.”
While the Campus Improvement position does not have a committee, McClain is excited to hear ideas and concerns from students about campus life.
“My goal is of course to make this campus a better place in any way that I feasibly and realistically can. I want for students to visibly see changes to campus and ultimately to feel seen and heard,” McClain said.
McClain says two people who have impacted her the most during her time at TFC are Graham and Ariel Parris. She has worked under each of them in the Office of Admissions and says the couple continues to pour into her through spiritual development and care.
“Graham was my Admissions Counselor when I was coming into college, and while he no longer works here, he is still a massive reason for why I’m at Toccoa Falls,” McClain said. “I currently work for his wife, Ariel, and she has shown me the same care and kindness. She is always so gentle in dealing with me and is an encouragement to me each and every day… They have made my work experience on campus so joyful!”
Coy and McClain will be stepping into roles on the SGA Senate which prompt change and community on campus. If you have any ideas to physically improve campus and diversify the campus community in the coming year, reach out to these two ladies at ariannacoy@tfc.edu and chloemcclain@tfc.edu.