Musarrat “Mus” Lamia ’21, a Philosophy major, is one of the most familiar faces around John Jay’s campus. She’s the 2019-2020 Student Council President. She’s in the Honors Program. She’s President of John Jay’s Mock Trial Association. And, she’s on a mission to use her voice to advocate for change. “My time at John Jay has been incredibly rewarding. I’m partaking in many different opportunities and am learning a lot more about what justice means in an interdisciplinary and applied context,” says Lamia. “Without John Jay, I wouldn’t have found confidence in my voice and my potential.” We sat down with Lamia—a proud Bengali-American, born and raised in Brooklyn—to learn more about her hopes for John Jay students and her plans for the future.
“Without John Jay, I wouldn’t have found confidence in my voice and my potential.” —Musarrat Lamia
What made you want to come to John Jay?
I initially wanted to go away for college and experience dorm life. I’d spent the first 18 years of my life living in New York City and I wanted the opportunity to be in a new environment. And, most of the students in my high school committed to non-New York City colleges, and I wanted to be able to share that experience with them. I only applied to two New York City colleges, John Jay College and Hunter College. John Jay’s focus on justice captured my interests in civic engagement, environmental advocacy, and social justice all in one place. I chose John Jay because I knew that I would get a well-rounded education where I could explore all of the topics that I cared about.
You’re the current Student Council President. What inspired you to join Student Council?
I took extra-curricular activities all throughout high school and knew that I wanted to continue being active in my college community. My extra-curricular experiences were always the most rewarding since I was able to apply the skills that I learned inside of the classroom to the outside world while also making an impact. But one of my biggest regrets in high school was not joining the student council, since those who did, were always informed about the resources our school had to offer. I knew that when I got to college I was going to join student council and sought it out on my first day of class. I couldn’t join my first semester, but I was able to join during my second semester, and I’ve been a part of the program ever since. The more I learn about John Jay’s Student Council, the more I realize how large its impact is. Students are part of all major decision-making for the College and we have the opportunity to speak directly with the leaders of the College to make productive changes. Not many institutions offer this experience, so I am glad to be part of it.
Why is it important for student voices to be heard here at John Jay?
Students make John Jay the amazing place that it is. Every time I speak to faculty and staff about the institution, they rave about the students and how passionate they are and I couldn’t agree more. I remember sitting in the Pre-Law Institute Personal Statement Boot Camp last January, and listening to personal statements by John Jay students whose life experiences have equipped them with a perspective of resiliency and perseverance. Our students have an understanding about real world issues that faculty, staff, and leadership may not have. So, if student voices are not at the focal point of what we do as an institution, then we are not staying true to our values as a college that educates for justice and we would be wasting our resources.
“If student voices are not at the focal point of what we do as an institution, then we are not staying true to our values as a college that educates for justice.” —Musarrat Lamia
What are some of the important projects that Student Council has done both historically and recently?
Student Council established the game room, community hour, the media walls on the second floor of the New Building and Haaren Hall, and so many other additions to our campus that often go unnoticed. This year alone, we’ve had multiple trips, resumed our American Sign Language workshops, and celebrated National Transfer Student Week on campus. At the moment, Student Council is trying to work with Undergraduate Studies to acknowledge student hardship in class attendance policies and changing the classroom culture around class absences. I hope that more students at John Jay feel heard and know that there are channels available to acknowledge their concerns. We will also host regular coffee hours to interact with students and we plan to start a participatory budgeting process, where students can decide on how a large sum of money is spent.
Can you tell us about your partnership with President Karol V. Mason?
President Mason is an incredibly supportive leader. Fidel Osorio, the Vice President of Student Council, and I have monthly meetings with her to discuss our priorities and how to move forward with them. She’s incredibly humble and is always trying to grow in her leadership, alongside the College’s growth. She admits when her knowledge on a topic is limited and is always open to learning and changing, which to me, is an essential quality of a good leader.
What has been the most memorable moment you’ve had so far as Student Council President?
Convocation has been my favorite memory so far. It was my fifth day back in New York City after being away for the whole summer and I was extremely nervous about embracing my new role as President and speaking to the entering class. Being surrounded by administrators, faculty, and staff who had on prestigious regalia, made me feel a bit out of place. But when I stood in front of the students and started to speak to them, all of those nerves vanished. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be, saying exactly what they needed to hear about their journey over the next four years at John Jay.
What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned as Student Council President?
I’ve learned that change takes time. Many of the initiatives that Student Council would like to implement targets systemic issues of miscommunication, visibility of the Council, and different College initiatives. And while we would like for things to happen quickly, there is no one cookie-cutter solution to these issues. Most of the things we would like to change require multiple solutions and for us to take different angles to approach them so that the greatest number of students can be impacted.
How do you hope your Student Council experience helps with your future career?
My Student Council experience is teaching me how to balance high-pressure priorities and responsibilities alongside my student obligations—which I’m sure will be useful in anything that I choose to pursue in the future. Student Council has also taught me how to communicate with different audiences who may have different interests, experiences, and backgrounds to me.
“Our job at Student Council is to make sure we are representing the students.” —Musarrat Lamia
If you could give another student, who may be considering joining Student Council some advice, what would it be?
The best advice that I can give is to remain true to the students, their needs, and their experiences, and know that there is always room for improvement. Our job at Student Council is to make sure we are representing the students. The best way that we can do that is by making sure that students know that our doors are open to them, and that we want to hear their experiences and concerns, so that we can better communicate that information to the rest of the John Jay community. Our office and lounge in NB, L2.69 is open to all students for use from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and we encourage students to stop by and ask us any questions that they may have about the College or the Council itself. We also regularly collect feedback and questions through our email at johnjaystudentcouncil@gmail.com and on Instagram via direct message @jjccouncil.
