A Message From the Student Council


Greetings Wesley Community,

I pray your studies are going well and that you are making the most of your seminary experience. There are a number of ways you can maximize your experience outside the classroom, especially through student council and other student organizations.

To facilitate this, my goal for Student Council this year is to focus on building collaboration and community among all members and organizations within Wesley by cultivating enthusiasm toward productive and engaging activities, fellowship, discussion, and initiatives.

In an effort to accomplish this goal I, along with the Executive Board of Student Council, have launched the I See You Initiative. We want every student on this campus to know that we acknowledge your value and worth as one of God’s creations and as a contributor to the well-being of our community.

You may have felt the initial spark of the I See You Initiative if you attended Orientation in August when Student Council and the student organizations welcomed all our new seminarians into the community with a friendly smile, warm greeting, and helpful tips, along with words of encouragement, or you may have gained some insight from the initiative in October if you participated in Student Council’s collaboration with Plumbline on the session, “How to Lower the Heat in Difficult Dialogue and Engage in Meaningful Conversations.” Undoubtedly, it is difficult to truly see each other if we are not effectively engaging each other. This month’s workshop on implicit bias offers another way we can acknowledge others by assessing our own biases and recognizing how those biases can prevent us from seeing the true value and worth of our fellow brothers and sisters.

Many of our sisters and brothers are becoming active in the great student organizations on our campus, If you have not already done so, discover what each has to offer. Each organization—Association of Black Seminarians (ABS), Korean Student Association (KSA), Plumbline, and Wesley Fellowship—through its unique identity offers opportunities to uplift, support and unify our community.

One way this is being exhibited this month is through the Free Hug and Brownies event during lunch and dinner. All the organizations will provide a tasty treat and a hug to help decrease anxiety because they see the mounting mid-semester tension. You can learn more about additional ways we are working to enhance your experience here at Wesley by attending biweekly student council meetings, noting announcements on digital signs across campus (like next month’s Thanksgiving dinner), and staying tuned to messages through your Wesley email.

Another way to be informed is through this Journal. You can take time to read Student Council’s Wesley Journal in the Underground Lounge or the Commuter Student lounge as you enjoy a complimentary cup of Coffee by the Council and fellowship (or lament, as needed) with your classmates. You can also submit articles to the Journal, as another venue to be seen and heard on topics of interest to the community.

Again, I encourage you to get involved and take advantage of all the opportunities we have here at Wesley. If you would like to learn more, please feel free to speak to me or a student council representative. In the meantime, know that Student Council prides itself on serving you and the needs of the Wesley community. We are here to see you and we encourage you to see others as we journey together to embody a Christ-filled life.

Sincerely,
Kasongo Butler,
President, Student Council

Kasongo Butler is a third year seminarian at Wesley.

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