Issue date: 6/10/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Jon Eilts Memorial Student Center Complex President Stephanie Burns addresses students at a new student conference. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Jon Eilts MSCC President Stephanie Burns stands in front of the Memorial Student Center, which will be closing in August for three years. [Click to enlarge]

With the MSC renovation rapidly approaching in August, MSCC President Stephanie Burns is taking advantage of every sunny day to plan for the return of the entire student body.

"I stayed in town this summer to continue attending meetings and workshops regarding the renovation and to help prepare the building to close," Burns said. "When students return to campus in the fall, the MSC will be closed and they will need to know where all of the services housed there have been relocated."

Many preparations are underway to ensure an easy transition into the new academic year, for both new and returning students, Burns said.

"Much of this summer is dedicated to planning for the coming year to ensure that the fall semester is as smooth as possible," Burns said. "Our student programming committees will continue to offer the same great programs, and even some innovative new ones, but we will face some challenges as we lose our traditional programming and marketing space."

And, the plans don't end there.

"In the fall, I will be ensuring that our student programs office remains as productive as ever in our new space and working on the renovation as we finish up the design development phase of the project," Burns said. "You never know what the future will bring, so I will also continue to work with other student leaders to represent students and address issues that affect our campus and community."

However, Burns said her top priority is the Aggie Spirit.

"One of our most important tasks is to preserve the history and traditions of the MSC while the building is being renovated," Burns said. "It is crucial that incoming classes of Aggies understand the importance of the building and respect the traditions of removing your hat and not walking on the grass."

Though Burns has an immensely long list of things to do, she is more than capable of accomplishing the job, said MSCC program advisor J. Amber Fonseca.

"She is the epitome of grace under pressure," Fonseca said. "She does not back down when I challenge her, but rather, she rises to the occasion and far exceeds even my expectations. I always tell her she is the best student leader I have ever had the pleasure of working with."

Growing up in Bethesda, Md., near Washington D.C., Burns attributes her strong will to her roots.

"Being raised in a big city on the East Coast definitely shaped my worldview," Burns said. "I grew up in a political area and met a lot of people with big accomplishments and great careers. I think that experience taught me to work hard and to dream big."

Burns has received several awards since the start of her college career including the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Award, Margaret Rudder Community Service Award and Buck Weirus Spirit Award.

"I think the most important decision I have ever made was deciding to transfer to Texas A&M," Burns said. "I didn't know anyone here, and it was scary to start over at a new school, in a new town. Having the courage to transfer was a huge accomplishment for me, and it was probably the best decision I have made in my life so far."

As a high school student, Burns was a member of the National Honor Society, involved in student government and on the varsity softball team at The Connelly School of the Holy Child.

After graduating in 2004, Burns had to defer her college career due to a knee injury. In 2005, Burns entered her freshman year at TCU.

"It did not take me long to realize that TCU was not the right place for me, and I transferred to Texas A&M as a sophomore," Burns said.

Burns has always been extremely passionate about Texas A&M, Fonseca said.

"She is extremely driven and passionate," Fonseca said. "She is so intelligent and she knows what she wants, but more importantly, she is not afraid to work hard to get what she wants."

Burns began her involvement with MSCC LEAD as a sophomore, and served as the director of community service, director for MSCC Fall Leadership Conference and the chairwoman of MSCC LEAD, before becoming the MSCC president.

"I think this is an incredible challenge for her, and I think she is looking forward to it," said Burns' mother Maryanne Burns. "I'm very proud of her. She's always wanted to attend A&M and when she finally did decide to attend I was happy … it's a very good fit for her."

An animal science major with a minor in educational human resource development, Burns said she loves animals and had childhood aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. But, Burns said she now wants a career in higher education.

"I love working with and for students, so I hope to turn that into a career," Burns said.

She could make a great addition to the Texas A&M administration, Fonseca said.

"I could definitely see her working with the Foundation or the Association of Former Students because she has a deep passion for this place and her enthusiasm for Texas A&M is contagious," Fonseca said. "No matter what Stephanie does, I know she is going to be great at it."

To ease the worries of the student body in the midst of the MSC renovation, Burns has helped initiate several projects to preserve the Aggie traditions and provide a reminder that the renovation will not erase Aggie history but instead create new history.

"The fact is that the MSC is outdated and inadequate for our growing Aggie family. The next three years will bring some inconvenience and change, but it will also bring us a beautiful, renovated Memorial Student Center with more space and better services," Burns said. "The Memorial Student Center is our building, and we deserve the best. The next three years will ensure decades of enjoyment for future Aggies, and we can say that we are the ones who made it happen."

Student leader profile series
Once a week during the summer, The Battalion will be profiling a student leader to gain insight into their lives and what it takes to do their job.

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