Meet the candidate: Alexandra Howlett aims for student understanding in campaign to become the next vice president of SCG

Olivia Barone

Editor in Chief

The Anchor’s mission to meet those in the running for next year’s Student Community Government [SCG] executive board continues with Alexandra Howlett as she campaigns to become the next vice president. 

Photo credits: Alexandra Howlett

A freshman social work major and music minor at RIC, Howlett is active on campus via her commitment as a parliamentary member of SCG and to the class of 2029 as the freshman class’s secretary. Meanwhile, Howlett’s love of music has driven her to become a member of the campus radio station and choir. Off campus, Howlett works as a civics programmer for Rhode Island’s secretary of state, giving tours of the State House and playing an active role in our state government. 

Being an enthusiastic participant in her off-campus community, Howlett hoped to continue her engagement with RIC’s community when she joined SCG last fall. “I honestly love RIC. I mean everybody who’s in SCG does. I just want to contribute as much to the community as possible,” she explained. 

Howlett plans to campaign for the vice presidential role on what she calls the “Big Three C’s.” These C’s being compromise, collaboration and community, Howlett is running to include these values in her work at SCG and extend them to campus. 

Photo credits: Alexandra Howlett

The Anchor asked Howlett why she has a passion for the vice presidential role specifically and she highlights its work in public relations [PR]. “It’s all about understanding people… I think communicating better and talking to each other, you know, having face-to-face conversations, having an empathetic worldview. All that ties into understanding people. I think I’m pretty good at understanding people. I’d love to get even better at it… I think [vice president] is the best fit for me.” 

Howlett’s value for compassion and understanding within RIC’s community is in part due to her major, social work, which requires its students to be beyond empathetic. However, she also honored her minor in music, claiming that it would aid her in her vice presidency as she brings to the table a value in art. “I think that the expression of art is such an undervalued situation globally.” Howlett explained that although RIC is a liberal arts school, she has noticed some underappreciation of our art majors and minors that is evident in the lack of maintenance of the art buildings in comparison to those that host other academics. 

If elected, Howlett hopes to strengthen students’ relationships with campus police, especially after the active shooter incident at Brown University this past winter. She suggests that instead of giving first-time parking violators tickets that can cost up to $100, campus police should offer campus community service. This might involve campus clean up, helping staff and the like. “It benefits the college and also strengthens that relationship,” she said. 

Howlett would also like to ensure that follow-ups are being conducted on RIC administration and staff who come to parliament promising action. For unaware readers: SCG parliament often hosts guest speakers from RIC administration and staff to speak on a pressing campus issue. It is then the job of constituents to ask questions and provide feedback to the speaker in an effort to represent the whole student body. Howlett would like to see evidence from these speakers that they are taking student concerns seriously and in a timely manner. 

Photo credits: Alexandra Howlett

It is also important to Howlett that SCG is being present in RIC’s community. She wants to reach students directly via collaboration with department heads, increased flyers and mass emails directly to the students that share news from parliament. But above all, Howlett wants to ensure that students are being heard by SCG. “I’m sure there are people who have brilliant ideas, they just don’t say them because they aren’t asked. I’d love to learn more about what the people want, really.” 

Keep in mind that voting for SCG’s next executive board will be open online April 8-15. For updates, follow @scgric on Instagram. 

To get to know the other candidates in the race, see interviews with Malcolm Mann, Marcus Rocha and Judy LaRose.