Where Students and Alumni Collaborate

Former President of Furman’s Student Alumni Council (SAC), Quinn Elliott, tells all! Want to know more about how to get involved, what SAC is, and Quinn’s personal path to being president? Read on!

Getting Involved in SAC

As a freshman on campus, I was told time and time again, “it is easy to get overinvolved.” So, when the fall involvement fair came around, I stayed focused on adjusting to campus and skipped the sign-up sheets. Suddenly though, all of my friends seemed to have found their niche in campus life while I had somehow missed mine. That is when second semester a friend told me about the Student Alumni Council. Little did I know how much of an impact this organization would have on me!

What is Student Alumni Council?

The main focus of SAC is planning Homecoming events to connect students with Furman Alumni and members of the Furman community. This is my favorite part of what we do because you meet people you would have otherwise never crossed paths with and experience a whole new level of school spirit. SAC also fosters experiences that engage the community through annual social events on campus. If you want to make pipe cleaner snowflakes with children of Furman alumni, this is the organization for you. I found SAC to be the perfect way for me to get involved on campus and meet new people while still balancing my academic and social obligations.

Path to President?!

After my first year, I was nominated to be a Homecoming Chair. This idea felt daunting and too large for my plate, but I was encouraged by the executive members to give it a chance. Thank goodness I did. Being a Homecoming Chair pushed me in a way that no position had ever before. I learned how to think on my feet and communicate with large groups of people during the ever-changing time of COVID. These skills have proven to be very useful throughout my college experience, and I will always look back on that Homecoming with extra appreciation.

When the next election came up the following year, I found myself in the position of President. If you had told little freshman me where I would end up, I probably would have laughed (which is exactly what my mom did when I told her). But for as much as I had never imagined myself holding such a position, I knew that I could because of the experience and support that SAC gave me. My term as President was filled with invaluable memories and friendships that have certainly changed me for the better. So, when I tell freshmen to apply to SAC, I am not just trying to get them involved on campus, but get them involved in an organization where they can thrive on campus.

– Quinn Elliott,  2021 President of Student Alumni Council 🙂