Student Spotlight: Kennedy Carey-Prescott, newly elected SGA President

March 14, 2023

By Aamari Benford, Staff Writer

It’s been five years since a Black woman has led Xavier’s student body. Senior and Louisiana native Kennedy Carey-Prescott was elected as the new Student Government Association president on March 8, 2023. On a campus that is 76 percent female/ woman, Prescott is the first woman to win this position since Sierra Blanchard during the 2017-2018 term.

This position comes with many responsibilities and requirements. Having positive characteristics and traits is fundamental, Carey-Prescott said.

“I will be tasked with being a servant-leader, guiding the student body towards excellence. This is important to me because I want to provide expansive opportunities for my peers, and I am honored to be a leader as we continually evolve into the best version we can be,” Carey-Prescott said.

Faith is an important part of what motivates Carey-Prescott, a biology pre-medicine major, who has been involved with the campus ministry and who has served on the finals prayer service committee from 2020 to the present.

“Purpose motivates me to be successful. I have long talks with God before pursuing anything, and if it comes to be, then I know it was a part of His plan,” Carey-Prescott said. “My family also keeps me going because I ultimately want to make them proud while achieving the goals, I see for myself in life,” she added.

Munachimso Ugoh, Xavier’s current student body president for the 2022 to 2023 term said he values and supports diverse representation of the student body so that different student voices can be heard.

“I believe representation is important. I was the first international student to serve as SGA president in about 30 years, and this allowed me to bring a different unique perspective to the position that represents all students,” said Ugoh, a public health sciences major from Nigeria.

The SGA team includes about 80 students of which 90-percent are women, Ugoh said.

“Which is amazing because it allows us to have the female perspective when trying to program but also advocate for issues that affect all Xavierites,” he said. “Kennedy being a woman allows her to have a different perspective as I would have had being an international student and a man which will allow her to advocate for the entire student population in her own unique way,” Ugoh added.

As he wraps up his final semester leading the student body, Ugoh shared some final thoughts in support of passing on the leadership to Carey-Prescott.

“It’s important to recognize that in SGA we are not the voice for the people but rather we are there to elevate the voice of the people,” Ugoh said.

Carey-Prescott has served as the freshman, sophomore, and junior class treasurer. She was also the treasurer and financial secretary for the Epsilon Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. among other campus and community involvement.

“The student body president to me is probably one of the most influential students on campus,” said Curtis Wright, Xavier’s vice president of Student Affairs. “And really probably one of the most influential people on campus. Because they represent, they are that bridge between the students and administration,” Wright said.

Although the role can be demanding, Wright said the right leaders, like Carey-Prescott, are able to take on the challenge because they are doing it for “the greater good.”

“Celebrate her and make sure we give her roses because she’s earned a position and she is standing in her light and allow her light to shine, figure out ways you can amplify that light with yours,” Wright said.