University of Maryland student Anna-Kaye McDonald hopes to enhance public safety efforts and transportation in her first full semester as the College Park City Council’s deputy student liaison.
The senior criminology and criminal justice and government and politics major became the deputy student liaison in November after former deputy liaison John Fahmy left midway through the fall semester. Fahmy, a junior philosophy, politics and economics major, was appointed to serve the 2024-25 academic year but later decided to study abroad during the spring semester.
McDonald said she was inspired by former student liaisons’ work. She initially wanted to apply for the role in April 2024, but opted not to due to uncertainty about her senior year workload.
She applied for the position in October because she believed the work aligned with her personal values and goals.
“I’ve always been inclined to do some form of leadership roles or to be of service to others around me,” McDonald said. “I like to help others in any capacity, any shape, way or form.”
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McDonald previously volunteered with Solutions in Hometown Connections, an organization that aims to support refugee and immigrant families, she said.
She added that her involvement in this university’s Kappa Omega Alpha chapter — a public policy academic fraternity — and previous internship experience with the Maryland General Assembly prepared her for the leadership and advocacy skills needed in this position.
Student liaison Erica Otte, a senior government and politics major, said McDonald had the necessary experience for the role and seemed passionate about the position.
“I saw her as the most prepared throughout the interview,” Otte said. “She really cares about public safety and I think that’s also very important.”
The student liaisons serve as university representatives and are expected to attend weekly council meetings and discuss issues facing this university’s students, according to College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir.
Student liaisons help the council better connect with this university’s students, Kabir said, which is necessary for a city with a large student population.
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Since the deputy liaison position opened during the semester, Otte said it was difficult to have as many applicants as they had during the summer. The application was initially advertised by this university’s Student Government Association.
But unlike the previous application, Otte and Kabir selected the deputy liaison without input from the SGA. McDonald will serve as the deputy liaison until May.
As deputy liaison, McDonald hopes to improve public safety and transportation within the city.
Otte said she and McDonald will also continue to work on the English as a second language initiatives she began planning in the fall.
Since McDonald started the position, she has been satisfied with the experience and hopes to pursue more of her key policy initiatives this semester.
“There’s still more to be done,” McDonald said. “I’ll ensure that in the next few months that I have left on council, I will try to meet some of the targets that we have.”