Trint Martinez, a political science major, sophomore, is vying to become the next 2022-23 Student Government Association (SGA) Secretary. The Butler, Alabama, native was raised by his late grandmother Margie Ann Sturdivant.

Martinez is currently the Vice President of Student Orientation Services (S.O.S.). He is also a senator at large for “The Next Level” administration. He is also a member of the Alabama State University cheerleading squad. Martinez is running on the platform of THE R.E.A.L. This stands for being resourceful, embracing, advocating, and listening to the student body.

Q: Why are you running for this position?

A: Because I want to be the communication between students and the administration. In order to be successful, we must have a healthy relationship of trust between students and people in power. I am a very persistent person, which I will use to my advantage to get things accomplished.

Q: What is your motto for this position?

A: I would say never give up because in order to get things done truly, you have to keep pushing. I have come to realize that being persistent will hold people accountable. That is one of my biggest strengths.

Q: What makes you a better candidate for this position? 

A: Every candidate is unique in their own way, but I, Trint Martinez, am willing to talk to each and every student. I want them to know that their point of view matters and show their value. For example, many students have been voicing their concerns about getting answers with the Cares Act. I want to make sure that the communication line between the students and administration.

Q: How do you plan on getting directly involved with the students?

A: Well, if elected, I am willing to assist with an open tool and open-door policy. I plan on possibly making google docs or having a box that can allow students to voice their concerns directly with SGA. From that, I can commute with SGA to see what is going on because most people at Alabama State University have the same issues, which include student accounts, housing, etc. I believe that it is essential to make sure that we keep a smooth line of communication between students and higher authorities.

Q: What are two of your weaknesses, and how will they affect your candidacy?

A: First of all, I believe that my biggest weakness is being persistent. I am so focused on getting a goal accomplished that I continuously push to get the work done. Sometimes my persistence can become overbearing, but I turn it into strength because I am actively pushing to get the job done. 

Q: With you being involved in many organizations on campus, how do you plan to manage those commitments and serve on SGA?

A: Right now, I am currently a Bama State cheerleader, vice president of Student Orientation Services, as well as a senator at large. Those organizations come with terms, so at the end of this year, I will no longer be a senator at large, and I will no longer be the vice president of Student Orientation Services. Also, this was my first and final year being a part of the cheerleading team. So if elected as secretary, I plan on dedicating all of my time to fill this role and make communication better at Alabama State University.

Q: In order to be part of SGA, you must have the ability to work within a team. How would you describe yourself?

A: I have been involved in many large groups on campus. This includes many different personalities and faces. Having the ability to work with a team is an essential skill. As they say, there is no “I” in a team. As SGA secretary, I think I will work well with other members of the student government association. 

Q: How will your platform help decrease the retention rate at Alabama State University?

A: My platform, “The Real Communication,” will offer my view on topics and resourceful problem-solving. I plan on working hand in hand with students as well as the administration. I think we have to improve communication as a whole. Most people don’t like how communication is set up at HBCUs. I think we should advocate for multiple ways to communicate between the students and the administration. I also plan to keep my ear open and have an open-door policy where people can reach me at any time.  

Q: What is something you plan to do differently than previous secretaries? 

A: Well, I have spoken to the last two secretaries, and I want to say they have done amazing jobs in their position. But I know one thing they have all been trying to do was create an app, which I plan on accomplishing. With an app, we can help new students find their way through campus life, which I feel like is very important because we want to reduce the retention rate. 

Q: What ideas would you like to push forward if elected?

A: I would say that coming in as a freshman, I was not aware of things around campus. I think we need to find more ways to utilize communication. I think we as SGA need to come out with more of a mentor program for every freshman. With this program, we can find out what these students want to see at Alabama State University, dealing with academic achievement as well as student engagement.

Q: What work have you done off-campus that makes you confident for this position?

A: As the vice president of student orientation services, I work really hard with my organization to get information about the school. I plan on showcasing everything that this school has to offer, from academics to involvement on campus

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with the app you hope to launch?

A: My objective for the app is to provide a more innovative and efficient method of interacting with the whole student population. I want to ensure that all SGA news and activities are publicized via the app, which will be readily accessible to a wide range of students. Another essential factor of the app is the inclusion of a chat window for open comments and concerns, allowing students to communicate with SGA members, particularly the SGA Secretary. Another vital part of the app is that organizations and clubs can be discovered on it, encouraging student involvement and the growth of clubs and organizations.

Q: What lasting impact would you like to leave on the secretary position if elected?

A: As secretary, I want to completely implement my platform, which is to improve communication for the whole student population, which I will do via the use of the most innovative methods of outreach. These outreach efforts will include the development of a mobile application (The Buzz), SMS alerts, and the expansion of the social media platform. Hopefully, my platform continues to develop across ASU, as we need to become more engaging and informational (apart from email) in order to promote student engagement and notification. I want to leave knowing that the voices and concerns of the student body are heard.