Kirkland Pinkerton is serving his second term as Student Government Association president during the 2017-2018 academic year. He also served as an SGA senator in 2015-2016. He is involved in his community and even has his own photography business! The Centerville native earned his EMT certificate in spring 2016 and returned to Columbia State in the fall to begin working on a sociology degree. In his first year as SGA president, Pinkerton served in a leadership position in the Tennessee Board of Regents Student Government Presidents’ Council and went on to represent Columbia State as a candidate in the final rounds of selection for the Tennessee Student Regent position. In addition, Pinkerton took part in the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature, a decades-old mock legislature event held at the Capitol that attracts colleges across the state of Tennessee. Along with other SGA representatives, he wrote, presented and debated legislation, and ultimately got appointed future roles at TISL next year. In addition, he helped pass legislation to begin the process of increasing student activity funds to help increase the visibility of student government and the availability of funds for campus clubs and organizations.
Business administration major, Austin Smith, is serving his first term in the Student Government Association as vice president for the 2017-2018 academic year. He is a sophomore at Columbia State’s Williamson Campus, where he wants to represent his campus while helping improve what Columbia State offers its students. He feels that being involved in SGA will help further his education and place him in a position to better learn what the schools in Tennessee offer their students. Smith said he earned the nickname “Triple Shot” from his family after his first duck hunt when he shot his first duck three times after it folded on the first.
Ashley Patterson will serve as the 2017-2018 Student Government Association secretary/treasurer for Columbia State. As secretary/treasurer she is looking forward to representing the college and the student body. She said she hopes to help grow SGA’s presence and work alongside the other SGA members to bring positive change to the college. Patterson is working on her Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing here at Columbia State and plans to further her education at Middle Tennessee State University to work towards becoming an advanced practice nurse practitioner. Patterson has been a licensed practical nurse for nine years. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband and children.