Entering her freshman year at Milligan University, Elise Halkos was scared. Standing in front of a crowd or taking on major responsibilities was not her forte.
Now, as a junior, Halkos has taken on that once unimaginable opportunity as president of Milligan’s Student Government Association.
“I used to really dislike publicity, public speaking, and having responsibilities,” Halkos said. “I just wanted to do my own thing on my own schedule.”
Since coming to Milligan, much has changed.
Halkos, an Atlanta native double majoring in political science and English, became involved with SGA her freshman year, serving as a female representative. She described the role as low-commitment, but it gave her the opportunity to see how the student government operated while also meeting people who helped her get to where she is today.
“As a freshman, I didn’t talk to many people,” Halkos said. “As soon as people started pouring into me and shepherding me, like the older people, it was just so easy to get involved.”
Before arriving at Milligan, Halkos connected with Ashley Roberts, her cousin’s roommate and SGA president at the time. Roberts became a role model for Halkos, giving her someone to look up to as she began finding her place on campus.
As she grew, Halkos took on more responsibility. After serving as a representative, she became SGA secretary on the executive board her sophomore year before being elected president at the end of the spring semester.
The responsibilities she once avoided have since become her passion.
“I love public speaking, I love leading,” Halkos said. “I just didn’t used to be that way at all, so I’m kind of surprised by it myself.”
As she takes on the new role, Halkos hopes to return the support she received during her freshman year by being welcoming and encouraging to others.
She said one of her priorities this term is making the SGA more responsive to the student body. Rather than functioning solely as an organization, Halkos wants it to be a safe place for students to bring concerns.
“Our job is really to just react to needs, to meet needs and to be supportive,” Halkos said.
She is also looking forward to carrying on Milligan traditions such as homecoming week and That Big Party. For Halkos, she sees these events in a different light this year. The experiences that once shaped her as a freshman are now opportunities to create experiences for others.
“It’s kind of cool to be in a different position now,” Halkos said. “You’re not really the one participating quite as much. You’re really providing space for people instead.”
SGA member Londyn Cates has seen Halkos grow into her new role.
“Elise is the sweetest, kindest, just the most loving person I’ve ever met,” Cates said. “In this role she has done amazingly in taking over so many responsibilities, and I couldn’t think of anyone better for the job.”
Halkos hopes her leadership style will be relational. She wants students to see her as a support system rather than someone with a title.
“I really like to meet people and make friends,” Halkos said. “I would hope that, above all else, I can connect with people and relate to them and be there for them.”
She believes finding a community can be one of the biggest challenges students face. While academics play a significant role in college, Halkos encourages new students to build relationships with God and other people, which she believes is an important part of the beginning of a student’s college career.
The freshman who once disliked public speaking now leads an executive board of five and a senate of 20 to 25 people. However, Halkos does not see her role as a position of power.
“It’s really a servant leadership role,” Halkos said. “A lot of times, things like this can end up being a popularity contest or just for the names and the titles, but that’s not what it’s about.”
Instead, she asks herself how she can best serve in her role.
“How can I serve my community? How can I pour into my community and give back, and even do it in the shadows and not have the spotlight on you?” Halkos said. “That’s the most important work, to be able to serve when you’re not getting any attention for it.”
Leadership positions are often associated with ideas of legacy; however, Halkos believes that is not the right way to describe her goal.
“Legacy is maybe not the right way to phrase it,” Halkos said. “That’s not my job here, is to create a legacy for myself. My job is to just fill a role that needs to be filled and to serve.”
Instead of a legacy, Halkos hopes the community is left with pieces of her impact. The same community that once welcomed her as a quiet freshman can continue to grow into a place that welcomes others.
Photo: Elise Halkos, president of Milligan University’s SGA, gives a thumbs-up in a photo provided by Halkos
By: Mollie Johnson
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