[nabs-l] Mary Fernandez for NABS Secretary

[Briley Pollard]

Thank you for this. I really like your ideas and your commitment to the organization. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor.

Briley

On Jun 28, 2011, at 3:10 PM, Mary Fernandez wrote:

> Hello All:
> 	I know I have been sending a ton of emails in the last few days! And
> here’s one more! As the subject indicates, I am intending to run for
> NABS Secretary on July 4th, so I wanted to take the time to tell you a
> little about myself, and how I could be an asset to NABS if you decide
> to elect me for Secretary.
> 	My name is Mary Fernandez and I am a rising Senior at Emory
> University in Atlanta. I became involved in the NFB in 2006, when I
> participated in the RocketON! Program. In the Fall of that same year I
> held my first student division office, when I was elected as
> Secretary/treasurer of the New Jersey Association of Blind Students.
> After beginning college in Atlanta in 2008, I resigned my position as
> an officer of NJABS and began to serve as Secretary of GABS. In 2009 I
> became 1st Vice President of GABS and in 2010 I was elected as
> president of GABS. I was also part of the 2010 NFB Scholarship class
> and received the Charles and Melva T. Owen Memorial $10,000
> Scholarship. This summer I am Interning at the NFB National Center
> with the Department of Affiliate action. I am also very active outside
> of the NFB and have been a resident Advisor in college and conducted
> undergraduate research for the T. S. Eliot Project. This project seeks
> to, for the first time,   to compile all of Eliot’s prose in one
> collection.
> 	Having served as secretary for two student divisions before, I
> understand that the position entails a lot more than simply taking
> minutes during meetings. As a NABS board member, I would not only seek
> to fulfill the traditional duties associated with the position, but
> also help NABS move forward and grow in the following ways.
> 1.	Strengthen the relationship between NABS and state divisions. As
> the President of a very strong division, I want to insure that NABS is
> doing everything possible to help the state divisions grow
> individually thus creating an even stronger national division. I think
> that the regional representatives are a great way to connect with
> states, however, I would help develop an accountability system for
> regional representatives and state division leaders, so that we insure
> NABS is doing its utmost to connect with states.
> 2.	Help strengthen the relationship between affiliates and state
> divisions. Through teleconferencing, annual seminars, and utilizing
> both Washington Seminar and national conventions as a venue to get
> everyone together, I believe that NABS can facilitate better
> relationships between the state leadership and the student divisions.
> This alliance is especially important, because having the support of
> an affiliate will give our divisions confidence and resources which
> will improve the chances of their success.
> 3.	Creating new innovative programs for students to interact with each
> other on a national level. Through regional student seminars,
> leadership seminars for student leaders, we can help each other learn
> and grow on an individual level and become more cohesive as a whole.
> Also, I would like to start the Stalk a College Student on a national
> level. This program connects blind high school students and college
> students so that the high school students get to shadow a college
> student for a day.
> Those are just a few ideas from me. Please, please contact me with any
> questions, comments or concerns. I will see you all at convention and
> I hope you will vote for me.
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Mary Fernandez
> President: Georgia Association of Blind Students
> Emory University 2012
> P.O. Box 123056
> Atlanta Ga.
> 30322
> Phone: 732-857-7004
> 
> "It's not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much
> rather you weren't doing it."
> Terry Pratchett
> 
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