Jatu McCrayCameron Emery has overcame a lot on his path to become N.C. Central University’s SGA president.
Emery is a political science senior with a concentration in engagement and public policy. He’s also a member of the Gamma Beta chapter of Alpha Psi Alpha fraternity.
He’s a first-generation student from Champagne, Illinois, in a community littered with gun violence. But Emery turned to his studies to escape the environment.
“While violence surrounded me, I never let it define me,” Emery said.
He decided to attend NCCU because of their middle-grade education degree. Dr. Motley, his high school academic counselor, also attended NCCU and played a role in his decision to attend the HBCU.
“She had such a positive impact on my academic and mental development as a scholar,” Emery said.
After first becoming an Eagle, Emery worked under the SGA president Keshaun Coleman. He credits Coleman for taking him under his wing and showing how to be a leader.
“He exposed me to more and gave me insight,” Emery said. “He was an inspiration to me.”
Emery assumed a leadership role during the COVID pandemic, a challenging stretch for students at NCCU. Programs and events were hard to come by. Students felt isolated taking courses online.
Despite that, Emery says, the SGA worked hard and made a way for students to feel appreciated and entertained on campus. His mission remains to create a community and a safe space for all students.
Still, it’s a struggle. Some students still wonder about the SGA’s role and what it accomplishes for students.
“I’ve heard of the Student Activities Board, but I really couldn’t tell you what SGA does on campus,” said Caydence, a pharmaceutical sciences freshman.
Emery says that much of what the SGA accomplishes is done behind the scenes: reaching out to administrators, waiting for responses, and trying to build partnerships.
“I meet with the Chancellor every first and second Wednesday of each month,” Emery said. “We talk about new ways to get him involved with events that go on around campus.”
Last fall the SGA planned the fall festivals and community outreach events with Durham locals. They also worked on “SOAR to the Polls,” an event that increased voting awareness and engagement among students.
“My team is great and works hard, we got a lot of people out to go and vote,” said Emery.
SGA is now working on the academic side of things by pulling students for focus groups to evaluate the performance of each department.
Emery also said that building a better relationship between the student body and SGA is a top priority.
“My vice president and I know there are concerns out there, but I haven’t heard them directly,” said Emery. “A lot of the time the concerns go to fizz not me.”
SGA doors are always open to any students with concerns or questions. Their office is in the New Student Center. They can also be contacted from their website. A suggestion box is another tool that students will access.
In his free time, Emery spends his time with friends with a Sunday tradition of getting together for a cookout.
“Primarily it’s me cooking, but that just ties into how much I love to cook,” Emery said.
Emery says he plans to work as a director of an educational non-profit and, perhaps one day, as a university chancellor.
“I set these goals to be so young but why not do it young,” said Emery.
