Libby Adams ’27 found her way to Furman, and now she’s helping shape its future

Libby Adams ’27 wasn’t looking for Furman when she first began her college search.

The psychology and politics and international affairs double major grew up in Canal Fulton, Ohio, about 45 minutes south of Cleveland, and initially planned to visit colleges closer to home. But a chance conversation on a bus ride changed the course of her college search.

Adams happened to sit beside the mother of one of her brother’s friends, a Furman alumna who still spoke enthusiastically about her alma mater. She encouraged Adams to visit campus, and Adams added Furman to a trip that already included stops at the University of North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke.

She loved Furman. But the deciding factor came later, when she narrowed her choices to Furman and one other school.

“Furman was really invested, very much wanted me to come here, wanted to help me adjust, and would do anything they could to help me ease the transition,” Adams said. “That really just differentiated the two a lot and I felt like Furman was the place to go.”

Once on campus, Adams found another familiar path: student government.

Libby Adams ’27. Photo: Jeremy Fleming

She had served as her high school class president and participated in student government throughout her K-12 education. At Furman, however, she saw an opportunity to do more than hold a title. Encouraged by her roommate and friends, Adams decided to run for Student Government Association (SGA) as a first-year student.

She quickly discovered that student government brought together many of the things she enjoyed most: meeting people, debating ideas, solving problems and serving others.

“I love being able to have microcosms of democracy,” she said. “I love that that’s part of our education is that we do elect our peers.”

Along the way, Adams found mentors and role models in Furman’s SGA community, including Lydia McCarty ’24, Abijah Leamon ’24, Yaseen Echekki ’25 and Mariam Nguyen ’26. She admired the way they cared about the university and made a difference throughout their time at Furman.

Now, as SGA president, Adams wants to build on that example while creating opportunities that last beyond her own senior year.

One of her priorities, the President’s Project, gives first-year students opportunities to work directly with administrators, identify problems and develop solutions. She also wants to encourage respectful political dialogue among students and create more meaningful conversations around mental health and resilience.

Libby Adams ’27, president of the Student Government Association, speaks during Convocation. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.

For Adams, success isn’t simply launching a new initiative. It is creating something that continues after she leaves.

“I don’t want that to happen,” she said of initiatives that faded after their founders graduated. “I want to leave an organized way for future SGA leaders to build on the work that came before them.”

That includes improving transparency, creating an outward-facing SGA website and establishing systems that make it easier for students and community partners to understand how SGA works and how they can engage.

Adams’ journey to Furman began with an unexpected conversation. Now, she hopes her time in student government can start conversations that continue long after she graduates – leaving behind not simply a list of accomplishments, but a stronger culture of student voice, thoughtful dialogue and service.