I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jeannshy (Jea) Erazo. Jea is currently a third year psychology, pre-med major here at Andrews University. A few interesting facts about Jea are that she is of Puerto Rican heritage and she has five siblings. When she was younger, she worried that she wasn’t “well-rounded” enough—this now leaves her with many random and “useless” skills (as she puts it). In this interview, I asked Jea specifically about her current AUSA position as social media director.
What exactly does your role entail?
I basically run social media, which for right now includes Instagram and our Andrews Engage page.
How do you think your position impacts the student body when it comes to representing AUSA?
Social media, especially in our generation, is often one of the fastest ways to get informed. I think it’s one of the most important ways to keep all our students connected. I also like to think it creates more school spirit, as most of our events are highlighted and anyone can go back through our page and reminisce about events from the year.
Considering your position, what has been your vision coming into the school year? Do you think you’ve been able to remain consistent with this vision throughout this semester?
My vision was to create a closer community within our pages. I want the AUSA officers to feel more approachable. I also wanted to break that wall of formality between the officers and the student body. At the end of the day, we’re all just students, and I think sometimes it’s hard to convey that through a screen. I think it’s definitely had its ups and downs, but any progress is better than none. Through some of our mental health checks, event recaps, and officer takeovers, glimpses of the vision have come to life.
Why were you initially interested in holding the Public Relations position for AUSA? What prior experiences or positions have prepared you for this role?
First and foremost, I love people. I had friends on the team last year who felt I would be a really good fit for the position, so I decided to give it a shot. Also I love Aya and I knew that a year with her as president would be the best year to be part of an amazing team. In highschool I was super active. I was the social media director of our student association for three years, vice-president of our thespian society, president of my class, and president of National Honors Society. This included overseeing posts and ensuring open communication. I prioritized making sure my peers felt heard, which is a big part of what I’m trying to accomplish this year.
What has been your favorite part of working with AUSA this semester? Any specific memories, experiences, or people that have made your job especially fun?
The events have been so much fun to capture. I love seeing everyone get progressively louder, happier, and more involved.
What goals do you have next semester, and how do you plan on achieving them?
I’m planning to make our pages much more interactive. Tiktok, student shoutouts, giveaways, weekly recaps, officer takeovers, and more are all on the agenda for next semester. Follow @weareausa on instagram to keep updated or even just to talk to us :)
Any last parting words?
I know there is still so much more to improve. Don’t be shy, let me know your ideas! They are wanted and welcome. Okay, love you guys, bye!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.