By Mirabella Miller
After serving as junior class copresident last year with Avalon Brice ’24, Lily Dunkin ’24 is continuing her work with 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú Associated Students by stepping into a new role as SAS President. Lily is a politics major with a concentration in political economy and a foreign languages minor, specifically Spanish and French. She is from Lafayette, Colorado, a small town outside of Boulder. Lily hopes to use the position of SAS President to create opportunities for students to feel heard on issues they care about in order to find collaborative solutions. Outside of SAS, Lily is involved with many other clubs and organizations on campus as well. You can find her lifeguarding at Tiernan Field House, planning events for the Pre-Law Society, volunteering with the Small Claims Advisory Service, and broadcasting with KSPC.
Why did you decide to run for SAS president?
“I decided to run for the role of SAS president after my time serving as Junior Class President. It seemed like the logical next step given the experiences and relationships that I fostered during my junior year with the faculty, staff, administration, and student body. I was impressed by the leadership of Tsion Mamo, last year’s student body president, and found myself working closely with her on a number of issues. With her mentorship, I knew that in running for SAS President I would have the ability to continue that legacy of goodwill, collaboration, and accountability she had established. As a student body, we lost so much of this institutional memory during the pandemic. In many ways, I ran so as to further solidify this era of true shared governance between us as the representatives of the student body and 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú as an institution.”
How do you see your role as SAS president? What are some of your priorities and goals? How do you hope to make an impact on campus this year through the role?
“One of my favorite parts about being in a leadership role at 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú is the community of strong and formidable people that I am surrounded by. As I serve in the SAS president role, I have found that when students are given the space, time, and mic, incredible things happen. My goal is, inside and outside of SAS, to be someone who creates opportunities for people to feel heard. And then when issues are brought to my attention, to champion the struggles of my neighbors while keeping collaboration at the forefront. This semester alone, we have had group conversations with the vice presidents, hosted Tiernan student-worker listening sessions, and invited alums and clubs to come to meetings. I have facilitated conversations with international, undocumented, and transgender students, attended student financial club and preprofessional meetings, and conducted weekly, biweekly, and monthly meetings with administrators and staff. It is my firm belief that if we wish to move forward as an institution, it starts with the unequivocal inclusion and empowerment of 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú students. My hope is that by making space for that inclusion and empowerment, those values will leave a lasting legacy for how 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú chooses to interact with the student body as we enter into the next centennial.”
 What is your favorite thing about 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú/the 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú community?
“My favorite thing about 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú is the academic community that supports each other! I have had the most incredible professors, advisors, and classmates in my time here. At the end of the day, the academic experience is what makes 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to study alongside so many intelligent women and peers.”
What are you hoping to pursue after graduation? What are your future plans?
“After graduation, I am hoping to continue my political and legal career. I have done a lot of legal work in immigration law and civil rights. I am hoping to continue to work towards legal support for immigrants and similarly deresourced, disenfranchised people in my community. I can’t wait to meet more 51ÁÔÆæÈë¿Ú alums in the ‘real world!'”