Invasion of Privacy: SA President Orquidia Geraldino
Photo courtesy of Orquidia Geraldino
Orquidia Geraldino is a senior political science major who serves as the Student Association President for the 2024-2025 academic year and a College Council member. Throughout Geraldino’s academic career at Geneseo, she has always prioritized staying involved on campus. Her previous roles on campus also include being a Resident Assistant (RA), on search committees, and the Caribbean Student Association president.
Born and raised in New York City, Geraldino views Geneseo as an escape from a fast-paced society. The stark difference in the environment allows Geraldino to find a balance between college and her home, “Going to college in Geneseo and then going back home to one of the biggest cities in the world makes it kind of fun. I think it’s something that motivates me to just keep on living. The fact that I’m able to be in two separate worlds within five hours is kind of crazy.”
Geraldino describes herself as a “peace-loving hippie” who wants to ensure that all students feel welcomed on campus, which is not something Geraldino can do on her own. When Geraldino settled in Geneseo, she found the political climate to be unwelcoming, especially after the world was recovering from a devastating pandemic. One of the most challenging things for Geraldino was seeking support. Geraldino entered college knowing very little about college and what kind of change comes with this new environment. During her sophomore year, Geraldino worked closely with peers and the director of the chemistry stockroom, Daniel Jacques, who played a significant role in her academic growth on campus. Jacques taught Geraldino everything she needed to know, and she is unsure where she would be without his guidance. He inspired her to take charge, go against the norm, and advocate for change on campus.
All of Geraldino’s knowledge about college was through her high school. As a first-generation student, she did not have the same upbringing as her peers, who had a broader support system beside them when facing the hurdles of college living. Due to this striking introduction, Geraldino wonders: What makes Geneseo unpeaceful for me? What makes it unpeaceful for others?
As SA President, Geraldino’s goal is to make the minority the majority and allow students of all backgrounds to express themselves freely on campus. To ensure this, Geraldino stresses the importance of students utilizing their resources on campus: “I am supposed to be the voice of the entire student body, but I don’t see many students in my office hours. I just want to talk to students. If you need to complain about something on campus, I want students to complain to me. That way, I will be able to work on how to make Geneseo a better place for all students.”
Geraldino’s advice to all students is “to learn how to say no.” Geraldino emphasizes the importance of advocating for yourself, even if you are the only one doing so. It is important to remember that, as students, we cannot dedicate all of our free time to those who may not respect it. One of Geraldino’s biggest challenges with her commitments is self-sabotaging and overthinking. These things hold back many students on campus as the pressure of our role as students closes in on us. The urge to please others tends to hold us back from succeeding. With this, Geraldino is learning how to balance being selfish and selfless.
When asked about what she would recommend to her Geneseo peers, Geraldino replied, “Talk to strangers more, embrace having an open mind, and trust your gut!”
If you ever have any concerns on campus, please utilize the campus resources! Geraldino’s office hours are Monday through Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the SA office located in the MacVittie College Union, room 316. Attending office hours allows SA members to foster a sense of peace on campus while constructively addressing student complaints.