Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of every student organization on campus? Do you ever wish you knew who works the magic and logistics of various concerts and performances here at Geneseo? Don't fret, the answer has been found, and he goes by the name of Doug Sinski.
As president of the Student Association, Doug Sinski – a senior accounting and philosophy double major – strives to please both the administration and the student body; this is far from an easy task, but Sinski claimed that serving as SA president absolutely marks his greatest accomplishment as a student. "Student Association," he said, "is a culmination of [my] involvement of four years at Geneseo."
"The thing I love most about Geneseo is that I was able to find my element and find myself. Geneseo is a great place to maximize your strengths, and I think SA is a vital part of that."
There are no doubts that Sinski has maximized his strengths throughout his four years here. Previously, Sinski served as treasurer of the Activities Commission and business manager of The Lamron, and he remains the treasurer of his fraternity, Alpha Chi Ro, better known as "Crows."
Sinski said that one of the best parts of being the SA president is having the ear of all the administrators at the school. His position "enables the students to have a voice," Sinski said. "There have been a lot of great discussions between the students and the administration."
Because Sinski is taking a light course load this year, he finds the position to be manageable but time-consuming nonetheless. With at least 25 hours a week dedicated to SA, Sinski finds it hard to say he has much free time in his senior year. "Sometimes I feel like I just sit in meetings all day," he explained. But he's not complaining. Sinski takes courses in ice skating and badminton, so it's no surprise that he has a lot of time to devote to SA.
SA is not the only avenue through which students can become involved and have a voice, Sinski said. "The best way to have a voice is to know how to talk to people," Sinski said. "Work your way up instead of starting at the top. Know that if you want to be heard, then you need to know who to talk to."
Sinski's advice to future SA presidents is, "To just get involved. Maximize what you want to do in life. Engage your passions, especially at Geneseo where you have a chance to experiment. That's the best thing about going to a liberal arts school."
"My favorite thing about Geneseo," he went on to say, "is the interaction you can have with professors here. All of my professors know my name. It further enhances liberal arts education when you are able to meet face-to-face with a professor."
Sinski will end his education at Geneseo when he graduates this spring. His future plans? "I'm waiting to hear back from KPMG – an accounting firm. If I don't go there, then I'll go to law school. My ultimate dream is to become a tax attorney."
"My dream," Sinski explained," is to be very successful." Based on Sinski's track record so far, it doesn't seem far-fetched that his dreams will come true.