Last fall, freshman Tracey Ford walked into Maxwell Auditorium to attend her first Student Association meeting.

She sat down before realizing that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be.

“Everyone was saying yay or nay,” the psychology and neuroscience dual major said. “I was so confused.”

But the experience didn’t stop Ford from officially joining SA and becoming an elected member. Ford also recently won re-election as an Arts and Sciences Assembly representative.

If someone asked Ford about campus issues in the beginning of her freshman year, she may have mentioned the food in the dining hall. But after becoming involved in SA, she’s gained a new perspective of issues on campus.

“I never thought in a way that highlighted what could be improved, and now I think that way in everyday life,” Ford said. “I don’t want to be the person who only sees flaws in everything. I want to see the issues, but also see the solutions.”

Since coming to campus this past fall, Ford has already made her mark as a member of Student Association and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Dean’s Team.

Syracuse University was the only college Ford applied to. She admitted it was a bold decision, but she has no regrets.

“SU was the only school where I could see myself. I felt comfortable immediately,” Ford said. “People always say you just have a feeling, and I just had a feeling I was meant to go here.”

Ford currently serves on the Academic Affairs Committee in SA and has worked on initiatives to expand study spaces on campus and to make class syllabuses public. Some of the issues that are the most important to her include the campus’s tendency to self-segregate and the communication between faculty, students and staff.

Katherine Desy, the director of Academic Affairs for SA, said Ford is always front and center when it comes to policies, promoting initiatives or simply signing up for tabling in Schine Student Center.

“Tracey is not just in SA to put it on her resume. She is in SA to get something done and do something good,” Desy said.

She added that one of Ford’s original ideas was to create a freshman orientation packet that outlined student resources on campus, from tutoring services to the Writing Center. Desy also said she admires Ford for her ability to be honest about campus issues and willingness to work to solve them.

“She is a great person, and her compassion for other people really stands out. She is definitely going to be successful not only in SA, but in life,” Desy said.

Ford’s roommate, Sonya Fowler, an undecided freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she remembers her first impression of Ford was that she was cool — but she never realized how much of a go-getter Ford was.

“She got me involved, she would ask me to come to events with her,” Fowler said. “I’ve definitely done more and learned more about things on campus because of her.”

Ford said she noticed people on her floor didn’t know about any events on campus or even the recent SA elections. And if given the chance to describe herself in one word, Ford would choose “curious.”

When Ford first came to SU she wondered if she could befriend everyone on campus. While she now realizes that is a naive thought, she still aims to experience as much as the SU campus has to offer.

“I really just want to explore everything and meet everyone,” said Ford. “It is important to be involved in your education — I want to be active in every part of it.”

As a member of the Dean’s Team, Ford spent time in the Carrier Dome to help out with a recent event for accepted students.

Ford said she could see herself in the prospective students exploring all the different booths, looking intimidated and shy. But this year she could confidently share her own SU experience in the hopes of convincing someone else to make the same, life-changing decision that she did.

Ford said she loves sharing her own SU stories with incoming freshman and filling them in on all of the great qualities the campus has. She is already looking forward to the future.

“I am going to be here for the next three years,” she said. “I want to leave a mark. I want to leave SU better than I found it.”