Student Association Vice President-elect Jocelyn Tejeda bustles into a meeting room in the Student Association office and apologizes for her 10-minute late entrance.
It is this on-the-go, just-in-time-for-the-next-appointment buzz of activity that offers the best description of Tejeda's career as a student.
Tejeda, a junior international business and communication major, has been involved in numerous activities and held many titles throughout her university experience, including Residence Hall Association representative, SA People of Color clubs coordinator and a member of Omega Phi Beta.
Following a successful campaign during the SA elections and an emergency trip to Albany, Tejeda has been busy - to say the very least.
"I wake up in the morning, probably head to class right after that, office hours for POC, then I'd probably do some sorority work then I'd probably be in a senate meeting or an SA - there's always a meeting I have to be at!" Tejeda said, describing her typical day. "So that's usually guaranteed. I'm either at my internship or I'm at work. So I'm constantly doing something so my day won't really end until 12."
Tejeda said running for SA vice president proved to be a demanding task, especially with her already busy schedule.
"It was a lot of hard work, a lot of preparing, campaigning," she said. "Sometimes it would get frustrating because you'd try to explain to people exactly what it was that you're trying to do, trying to achieve and how important it is for them to actually vote. And you know, some people would just brush it off."
Even after battling student apathy, campaigning for countless hours, and lacking sleep, Tejeda remains energetic and motivated.
"I've always been active, ever since I've been in elementary school. So it's hard for me not to be able to do something."
Tejeda grew up in Bronx, New York, within a close-knit Catholic family and describes her upbringing as one that stressed the importance of education, good morals, and hard work.
"(My parents) have always told us one thing that I can remember is like, 'If we ever die, we don't really have very much to leave you with but an education.' So they always really stressed that," said Tejeda.
Taking the advice of her family and applying it to other aspects of her life, Tejeda said her penchant for hard work and activeness carried over into her decision about which organizations she would choose to associate with.
She said she decided to pledge Omega Phi Beta because of their zeal for active participation in the community.
According to Tejeda, promoting diversity and participating in community service projects are of the utmost importance.
"I was very attracted to all the community service that they would do and how they would help out the community, basically," she said. "Their motto was serving and educating throughout diversity."
Though Tejeda said she is pleased with UB's commitment to diversity and the programs that are offered, she is disappointed that more students are not getting involved.
Tejeda said she has first-hand experience with diversity in practice.
"I've met a lot of different people. And I mean diversity not only in terms of race and ethnicity," Tejeda said. "When I think of diversity it's personality, culture, just different upbringings, backgrounds. So I think that I've encountered a lot of diversity in my four years."
Though embracing diversity and keeping an open mind to other groups of people, Tejeda, who is Hispanic, said that issues facing those within her own ethnic group are the most familiar.
"I can really relate to those issues in terms of my ethnicity, where I grew up, and basically some of the obstacles that they probably face that I may have faced before," she said.
Dennis Febo, a member of Tejeda's Momentum Party and newly elected SUNY Student Assembly delegate, has worked with Tejeda during the production of many events and activities.
"I've always respected and admired her as a person due to her character, and involvement with UB," said Febo. "I bet she will do a lot more with her position as VP of SA. We will be working closely with the community as well with the programs that we've set up this year."
Even with her rigorous academic schedule, activities and events, Tejeda said she still manages to find leisure time.
"I just basically like to sit around with my friends and just chill and watch movies," Tejeda said. "Or sometimes, I'll hang out with some of my sorority sisters, or go to the movies, if I can, go to the mall. I like to cook, I like to read."
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
