Some are the first in their whole family to go to college; some are undocumented immigrants; one is a young mother raising a toddler; all are student leaders focused on their educational careers and setting themselves up for success. A diverse group of 27 talented, motivated and involved students make up this year's Faces of SSU campaign, focused on breaking down barriers and highlighting the shared student experiences at Sonoma State University.
Students share their diverse experiences through Faces of SSU in a written narrative and photo campaign that is displayed throughout campus. The displays include poster boards and banners of each student on view throughout campus, as well as a digital slideshow at seawolfliving.com, giving a glimpse into the busy lives of these student leaders.
Faces of SSU started in 2012 with the goal of starting conversations between students to share their own experiences. "These conversations help students realize that we are all Seawolves and have good and bad days, and we are about more than how we look, sound or appear to others," says Faces of SSU Coordinator Carina Buzo. "We are all interconnected through SSU and we are more than just faces in a crowd."
Students in the campaign were nominated by faculty and staff and their applications were reviewed by a committee of students and staff members. An opening reception was held at the Hub in the Student Center on April 4 where students featured in the campaign spoke about their experiences.
The poster boards will be on display through April 19 in the Student Center and Recreation Center, and included as part of the Investiture Mini-Conference on April 20. Banners will be up throughout campus through the summer.