March'18 Student Leader
The March 2018 Student Leader of the Month is Orianna Tate, President of Black United Body (BUB). Orianna is a member of the Class of 2019 and is studying Marketing at Bentley. In addition to her role in BUB, she is also the Public Relations Manager for FIRE Step Squad. We had the chance to interview Orianna about her campus involvement and how it has helped her grow both professionally and personally.
How has your involvement on campus shaped your Bentley experience?
Orianna: My involvement on campus has really molded me into a leader and has shown me the potential I didn’t think I had back in high school. Freshman year I was still shy and was just trying to get by unnoticed. However once I started getting involved in orgs and my work study jobs I realized that wasn’t possible and that I was meeting so many great people through my experiences. My Bentley experience has really brought me out of my shell and opened my eyes to new possibilities and endeavors.
In one word, how do would you describe BUB? Why?
Ambitious. It is no secret that BUB hasn’t always had the best track record in previous years, but this year we made it our goal to be better and to do better. We started off the year with some of our annual events like Bridging the Gap with campus police and our annual party in November. This year’s party was 90’s themed and the event was such a success in the amount of people that showed up and the amount of effort people put into their 90’s outfits. This spring semester has been our best so far. We kicked off Black History Month with 3 amazing events that each brought a different aspect to the month. Our student-staff dinner brought together minority students with minority faculty and staff where powerful conversations about race in the workplace was discussed. Then we had a poetry slam with TNT and showcased some hidden talents on this campus. Lastly we partnered with ASA for an event called Africans and African Americans which, I personally loved because the event hit on so many misconceptions about the groups being the same when in fact the culture and traditions are different. With all those great events we had our annual fashion show in March in the new multipurpose arena. Being the first student organization to host an event in there; that in itself is an accomplishment and I am beyond proud of the BUB team for coming together to make the night amazing. So, I say ambitious because we are not only determined to succeed but determined to make an impact on Bentley’s campus. Our mission is to educate, advocate and celebrate black culture on campus and we want that to show within each of our events of various forms, and this year I know that we have succeeded and will continue to succeed.
How do you envision your involvement on campus affecting your career?
I envision my involvement on campus affecting my career through the amount of skills I have learned over the years. For instance I have learned leadership qualities, how to balance work and play and have perfected my time management skills through having so much on my plate. It hasn’t always been easy but each org, job and class at Bentley has taught me about myself and who I have become and I am most proud of that because it has shaped me for the kind of career I wish to have. I’m not sure which road I’ll take within my major, but I know I’ll be leaving Bentley prepared for what is next to come.
When things get tough, what keeps you motivated?
What keeps me motivated is knowing the amount of support I have behind me. My family, friends, e-board members, advisors, and SP&E staff just to name a few. With their support I know that I can keep going during tough times and that I am not in this alone.
What advice do you have for incoming students about getting involved on campus?
For incoming students I would advise them to get involved with more than one aspect of Bentley and to do what they love. Don’t get involved in things that are not going to impact your life. Don’t choose activities based on what looks good on your resume. College is supposed to be some of the best four years you have, so you really have to make it worth it. Also don’t be afraid to try new adventures and branch out. It can be difficult for orgs when the same people come to their events, so to see new crowds would be awesome and I want incoming students to want to learn new things for themselves and to take chances.
