From soap and paper towels lobbyist to President

If it is 3:30 in the afternoon, TCU President Melissa Carson is most likely eating mozzarella sticks from Hotung and a Diet Pepsi (surprisingly caffeine free) in her small but nicely-decorated office on the second floor of the campus center. If it is 11:30 p.m. on a Sunday night, one would almost surely find Melissa in her office typing away at her computer after one of the weekly Senate meetings.

Carson's life as a student has been defined by her participation in student government. After serving on the Freshman Class Council, Carson had developed a desire to do more work with policy and the administration. She was elected as a senator for the sophomore class (one of only 28 positions for the entire TCU) and ultimately became vice president as a junior.

"There's something about Senate that's addictive, Carson said. "When you set out to change something and it you do it, it is an amazing feeling."

Carson's pride in Tufts is evident from the moment one enters her office. The room is neat, rather homey and nonetheless adorned with Tufts University pennants, posters of Jumbo, and maps of the campus.

"It's cheesy, but I love Tufts," Carson said. "I can see the problems of the school and instead of just complaining about it, I actually want to change things."

Outside the Senate, the 22 year-old Carson, who hails from Westchester NY, is majoring in child development and philosophy and is passionate about children. She boasts that the day she reached the age of legal employment, she began working as an after-school counselor at the Jewish Community Center in her town. Carson has also worked as a lifeguard and EMT. If her senatorial duties were not so time consuming, it is likely that you would find her canoeing, hiking or swimming.

Carson's background is what her colleagues praise her for the most. "No student at Tufts has a more varied personal history than Carson. For that reason, there's really no one who is better qualified to represent our diverse student population," Trustee Representative Matthew Kane said.

As TCU President, Carson has her work cut out for her. She has a lengthy list of goals she wants to accomplish, and to do so, she must bring together a body of 28 senators and four culture representatives. She also has to contend with a student body that is traditionally apathetic toward campus politics.

"Gathering information from students who don't particularly have faith in the student government has also been a challenge," Carson said. "We need people to talk to us."

Carson's first project has been the creation of a peer educator group of students trained to deal with incidents of bias. The program was delayed due to a lack of funding but is currently in the final stages of completion.

With a smile and a little chuckle, Carson is also quick to volunteer that she lobbied for soap to be placed in the bathrooms around campus _ the traditional platform of a rookie senator. But she is still working to secure the placement of paper towels in the bathrooms.

"She's got a real get-it-done kind of attitude. Hopefully she'll get a lot of people involved in the getting it done," junior Senator Josh Belkin said.

Also on Carson's agenda for the year are revisiting the new block schedule and improving the off-campus housing situation. Carson has been working with Yolanda King, director of Residential Life, and local landlords to facilitate finding off-campus housing options for students. Carson is also in the process of coordinating free safety inspections with Medford fire and police officials for students not living on the Hill.

Carson can effortlessly list the many policy and institutional changes she would like to see happen at Tufts. Such changes include need blind financial aid, 24-hour on campus eateries and a reinstitution of concerts on the quad.

"If we use the system that is in place, we can get things done," says Carson. "I feel like Ballou and Dowling are willing to listen."

Though senators caution that it is too early to judge Carson's performance as president, they agree that she is the right woman for the job.

"Our president is great at getting things done," Senator Randy Newsom said. "When she puts her effort into something it usually gets done."

"Although it's very early in the year, she has shown strong leadership skills by pulling the members of the Senate into a strong community," TTLGBC cultural representative Kelly Sanborn also remarked. "My only problem with Carson is that it is sometimes really difficult to get in touch with her. She is an extremely busy lady."