PENSACOLA — Pensacola State College student Kaitlin Santiago has been elected head of the Florida College System Student Government Association.
Santiago, a sophomore majoring in international business, campaigned on a “Bridge the Gap” platform. She defeated two other candidates for the one-year term that began July 1.
FCSSGA represents almost 1 million students enrolled in the Florida College System’s 28 institutions. The organization promotes legislative advocacy and training, leadership development, service learning, promotion of campus activities and strong citizenship.
Santiago’s responsibilities as FCSSGA president include acting as a liaison and student advocate. One of her goals is to ramp up the organization’s social media.
“Having a vibrant social media presence is a necessity for young people today,” she said. “As Florida College System students, we are so spread out, and social media provides a way for us to connect with each other, no matter where we are.
“We’re able to communicate and share common ideas so our voices will be heard. Students have a lot of the same issues, and they don’t realize how common these problems are. Social media will allow us to reach a broader audience, raise awareness, build support groups and develop solutions.”
The 21-year-old was Pensacola State’s SGA president during the 2015-16 academic year. Her tenure included founding the Creative Solutions Committee, an entity that brings officers from various Pensacola State organizations together to share ideas and promote activities and events.
The 2013 Milton High graduate also is an intern for Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. After earning her advanced degrees, Santiago said she wants to pursue a career in public service.
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ABOUT KAITLIN SANTIAGO:
●The 2013 Milton High graduate is a sophomore majoring in international business at Pensacola State College
●She was Pensacola State’s SGA president during the 2015-16 academic year
●She is the daughter of Ramon and Natalie Ledesma of Milton and has three siblings, Cameron Ledesma, Jaden Ledesma and Mackenzie Ledesma
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton High alumna elected Florida college system SGA president