By Todd McKinney,
Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Engagement

The quotation on the new free-speech wall in lower Wismer Center is from Maggie Kuhn, an American activist. It says, “Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.” It’s a powerful reminder to all of the young Ursinus students who will one day be leaders in communities across our country.

Jalen Everette ’22 is one of those future leaders.

A political science major, Jalen is president of the Ursinus College Student Government and quickly established himself as a calm and resolute representative for his generation. During a year of such unimaginable challenge and change, Jalen was a voice of solidarity, empathy, and hope. He is thoughtfully reflective, intently listens to his fellow classmates, and offers solutions to find common ground.

And while the nation continued to grapple with social injustice, Jalen sought to unify his Ursinus community through meaningful discussion and action. Regarding his student body leadership, he said,

“I saw an area where I can cultivate change in my community
using my own hands.”

The free-speech wall—a permanent installation officially dedicated during the college’s MLK Week celebration—was a project he helped initiate with President Brock Blomberg and Ursinus classmates. It allows students to express themselves by writing inspirational thoughts and messages; it’s yet another way to bring the campus community together, or as Jalen says to “be a more inclusive and diverse environment for everyone.”