Kenyan Student Bettylenah Njaramba Elected President of the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments

A Kenyan student, Bettylenah Njaramba has won the University of North Carolina (UNC) Association of Student Governments (ASG) presidency. The Junior elementary education major becomes the first African-American to be elected to the prestigious position. ASG is a student body that represents the interests of students at the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Ms Njaramba will now serve as the chief executive officer of the Association and double up as its official representative and spokesperson for academic year 2018/19. She will further serve as an ex-officio member of the UNC Board of Governors and the Council of Student Body Presidents.

She has been serving as president of NCCU’s Association of Students for a Better Africa and  attributes her passion for student governance to her mentor, former senior class president Brianne Gill. She says her African culture has a major influence on her life and success.

“My culture is very important to who I am as a student-leader,” said Njaramba. “In order to be great servant leader you must be true to yourself.”

Here is her full statement after she was elected to the position.

"It is with immense joy, humility, and gratitude to announce that  on March 27 th, 2018, I was elected as the first black woman President of the University of North Carolina System Association of Student Governments.

For the 2018-2019 academic school year, I will have the honor of serving as a member on the North Carolina Board of Governors and, more importantly, serving the 225,000 students across North Carolina’s public universities, alongside my powerhouse Senior Vice President, Anderson Clayton.

I have so many emotions to express, so many words to say, and so many people to thank, but above all of those things, my God deserves the highest praise.

This moment, and all the moments that led to it, are a testimony of His perfect timing, divine favor, and all things working together for the good of those whom He has called according to His purpose.

Thank you to everyone who believed in me, supported me, motivated me, and saw something in me that I couldn’t even see in myself. Thank you for the outpour of love and well-wishes. My heart is so full. To God be the glory. Time to get to work."