S amantha (Sam) Paton
 
Town/state: Marietta, Georgia
 
Major/minor: I’m double majoring in political science and criminal justice with a minor in economics. I’ve always been interested in government and law since I was a kid. History and government have been my strongest subjects in school. It’s in my best interests to study something I enjoy and am good at.
    
Why Georgia College? I like GCSU because of the small environment and smaller class sizes. I’d like to be able to get to know my professors one-on-one, and I’d like to know all my classmates and interact with them in smaller class settings. I also like how GCSU is located in Milledgeville. Since I’m interested government and history, the city of Milledgeville has such a draw for me, because it used to be Georgia’s capital. I’m also very interested in the Georgia College Honors College. I'm glad I get to participate in that part of campus life.

Biggest achievements in high school: In high school, I was part of students against human trafficking and worked with local organizations to help trafficking victims and help to stop human trafficking. I worked to help get Georgia First Lady, Marty Kemp, to work with the club. We coincided with her task force and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). I also joined a political campaign in March of 2022, spring semester of my senior year. I started working as an intern for the campaign. This opened so many doors for me in the political world and is great experience for my future career.

Activities to pursue in college: At GCSU, I’m interested in joining the Student Government Association (SGA) and running for senator my first year and higher-level positions, such as vice president and president, in later years. I would also like to join Mock Trial and other politically related clubs.

Most looking forward to: I'm most excited for honors college related activities, such as seminars and team building activities. I’m also excited about clubs and SGA. I look forward to making friends and interacting with people who share similar interests.

Qualities she brings to campus: I will bring energy and empowerment to GCSU. My positive attitude can be seen and heard from a mile away. I will bring leadership and determination to the campus, as well. I hope to encourage others to be their best selves, as I do myself.

Future plans: After college, I plan to work on campaigns and run for state and federal offices. I would like to be President of the United States one day! My dream retirement job is to become a political commentator.