Leslie Ekpe is a fourth-year doctoral student and was recently elected for her second term as president of TCU’s Graduate Student Senate (GSS). TCU News spoke to her to find out how she is reflecting on her first term and what her plans are for the second.
As president, what are your goals for this next academic year?
I am honored to be elected as Graduate Student Senate (GSS) president for the second year in a row. As the first Black person to be elected to lead TCU’s GSS, a position that has been elusive to the institution's students of color since its establishment in 1873, one goal this past year that I focused on is to ensure maximum graduate student engagement and representation at all levels of university governance. In many departments, organizations and governance boards, there is the representation of the undergraduate population, but, in most circumstances, there is a lack of graduate student representation. In this, we worked diligently as a Senate to instate policies and procedures that would directly correlate to the representation of the graduate student body.
Moving into this upcoming academic year, I truly am thrilled to be able to serve as president for another year. Meanwhile, we have many moving pieces directly correlated with finances and scholarship. Graduate students make up 15% of the student body. Therefore, our needs and wants are just as critical as undergraduate students to the university’s success.
You will be in office when TCU begins its 150th celebration. How do you see working that into your leadership and the student experience?
Serving as president during TCU’s Sesquicentennial marks a critical time in history. When I think about how far we have come as a university, I am honored to be a part of the progress. TCU’s rich history cannot be told without the trailblazers that have brought us to where we are today. Because of this, this year is special to me as I hope to continue positively influencing the journey of graduate students. I will continue to use my platform to break barriers by advocating for social solidarity, academic opportunities and equal resource allocation. TCU’s Sesquicentennial provides a time for celebration, but it is also a time to question: What will we be known for in the next 150 years?
What motivated you to run for a second term?
I truly believe that service is sovereignty. When the opportunity to serve again presented itself, I thought about the work that went into the previous year and how much more there is to be done. I truly appreciated the Senate and the work that went into last year. We fought hard to ensure that graduate students had better opportunities through representation, finances and social activities. This is where I realized that serving as president is bigger than me. My purpose as president far exceeds the personal gain. I serve those trailblazers that have come before me and created pathways for me to be where I am. I serve those that will come after me and establish ways in which the environment we occupy can be safer and more inclusive for all graduate students.
What did you take away from your first term that you will change or implement for your second, perhaps both personally and in your leadership role?
While the position has come with its challenges, I use my platform to break down barriers for future students to come. I believe that graduate students should have a voice at the table on campus and student organizational leadership. Graduate students eventually go on to become professors, administrators and corporate professionals. What I took from my first term is that my role as president must amplify graduate student voices in every room I occupy. I was close to missing the opportunity to be a graduate student, as I had to take the GRE five times before being admitted into my doctoral program. Therefore, it is extremely important to me that we analyze the process of admissions. If there are barriers to success for graduate students, it is imperative as a university that we analyze processes that directly impact true inclusive excellence.
Personally, I am dedicated to making a difference in ensuring that graduate students like myself have the opportunity to achieve in their academic pursuits. Throughout my academic career at TCU, I have committed myself to go above and beyond to be an active member who strives to better our community and open doors for historically oppressed communities.