Winthrop Students Elect Experienced SGA Members to Lead Organization (04/21/26)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Rising seniors Kelsey Medcalf and Jalen Hayes will serve as student body president and vice president, respectively.
• They ran on the slogan "Ready For WU," where they reaffirmed how their experience and understanding of Winthrop plays a pivotal role in their desire for these positions.

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University students elected rising seniors Kelsey Medcalf and Jalen Hayes this spring as the Student Government Association leadership for the 2026-27 academic year.

Medcalf, a political science major with a minor in religion from Nashville, Tennessee, will serve as student body president. She has been a part of the Student Government Association, formerly the Council of Student Leaders, since her freshman year and currently serves on the executive board as parliamentarian. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority serving as its vice president for recruitment.

This summer Medcalf will intern for U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman's Capitol Hill office in Washington, D.C. Norman represents the Fifth Congressional District, which includes Rock Hill and Winthrop.

Medcalf and Hayes ran on the slogan "Ready For WU," where they reaffirmed how their experience and understanding of Winthrop plays a pivotal role in their desire for these positions. "Our deep relationships with administration, faculty and staff are something we've cherished and in return want to build between them and the student body as well," Medcalf said. "On top of that, we've noticed that SGA opens the door for student voices and concerns, but we want to take it a step forward and actually extend the invitation into our weekly meetings."

Hayes is a business administration major with dual concentrations in human resources and marketing and is on track to earn a certificate in business analytics. Originally from Lake View, South Carolina, he said his small hometown has shaped his values and work ethic.

Highly involved on campus, Hayes currently serves as president of the Association of Ebonites and Junior Class Representative for the Student Government Association. He also volunteers as the Social Media Chair for the Winthrop Fashion Club and is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Vision of Prayze Gospel Choir.

In addition to his campus involvement, he owns and operates a marketing and consulting business, where he works with brands and organizations on social media strategy, event promotion and audience engagement. He is the Junior Marketing Director at YesMa'am, where he contributes to brand development and digital marketing initiatives.

This summer, he will intern with Food Lion at its corporate office in Salisbury, North Carolina.

"Within student government, my goal is to create more student-centered programming. Our events should not only be designed for students but also shaped by their input," he said. "I want to strengthen the connection between the student body and administration by fostering greater transparency, engagement and collaboration."

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at [email protected].