Travis Nelson

Biography

My name is Travis Nelson and I am a junior from Hempstead, NY. I am a proud first generation low income student, Questbridge Scholar, and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Over the last three years I have served in various capacities working to make Columbia a more equitable, inclusive and at times fun environment. My experience has made me a serious advocate for building a stronger sense of community at Columbia and driven my ambition to be your next Vice President of Campus Life. Through this role I hope to stimulate a healthy, engaging and robust campus life.

Platform

As VP Campus Life I plan to:

Support Community Traditions:

During such difficult times we hope to support the amazing Columbia traditions that build community. We acknowledge that we aren’t sure what the future holds, but we know that our Columbia community will find important ways to connect. We hope to continue our traditions of Homecoming, the Tree Lighting, and Glass House Rocks in the capacities we can through proper planning and funding. 

Set New Precedents:

As Pre-Professional Representative of the Activities Board at Columbia, I recognized four new student groups that responded to the needs of our most marginalized students and worked with the finance committee to establish the Community Programming Fund, providing additional funding to student groups that hosted events designed to foster inclusivity within the Columbia community. Furthermore, as the Multicultural Greek Council President, I established a new programming week to build camaraderie, supported IGC initiatives such as Greek Night, and hosted two Homecoming Yard Shows with various campus partners. 

We plan to support large student group events on campus and advocate for greater inclusivity in said events so that they are open to the entire Columbia undergraduate student body and representative of our diverse community.

Land Acknowledgements:

We plan to incorporate land acknowledgments for all CCSC events. This practice not only commemorates and recognizes the indigenous groups who occupied that land but acknowledges their erasure from the spaces we are privileged to now call home.

Civic Engagement:

In light of the 2020 election, we hope to support Voting Week and other voter registration efforts to foster a stronger spirit of civic engagement on campus and amongst our student body.