In her first semester on campus, President Ann Weaver Hart has been an inspiration, student leaders say.
“She is a phenomenal woman leader to look up to,” said Katy Murray, president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. “Somebody who is a female in a leadership role — it’s really great to see that there is so much potential to do amazing things like that. She is definitely somebody that I aspire to be like.”
Murray said she enjoyed working with Hart because of Hart’s openness with students.
“She has such a passion and motivation to support the students and really ensure that our students’ experience is the best it can be,” Murray said.
Graduate and Professional Student Council President Zachary Brooks echoed the sentiment, saying that he admired how open Hart is to listenting to students.
“What I like about her,” Brooks said, “is that in one meeting that I had with her, she listened to all our ideas, and then she added to it. So I felt like, even if she heard something before, she actually was willing to listen and then add to our thought process.”
She listens and usually waits until she has heard from all perspectives to make a decision, Brooks said.
“I think that trait is really nice,” Brooks said. “I think that most people appreciate what leadership is and that it is difficult, and you have to make decisions. But if people don’t feel like they are being listened to, then they get frustrated.”
Hart reached out to ASUA representatives and asked to attend the ASUA Senate meeting on Wednesday, said Krystina Nguyen, ASUA executive vice president.
“I was under the impression that she wanted to only come and observe. I love that she took questions,” Nguyen said.
Hart often draws on her experiences as the president of two other universities to advise student leaders, Murray added.
“Any kind of big issue, she always has a really good perspective,” she said. “I absolutely love getting to hear her thoughts, stories and opinions because she has great advice.”
Brooks said he feels as though Hart indirectly mentors him, especially when she refers to an idea or thought he told her about. He described a Faculty Senate meeting, when he made a comment and, 15 minutes later, Hart acknowledged what he said and added onto it.
“I feel she is telling me indirectly, whether she means to or not, that I am moving in the right direction,” Brooks said. “I really appreciate that she has incorporated me in her comments publicly. That’s a really nice thing to get from a president and certainly a president I respect and admire.”
