Dr. Sewell is taking on his presidency in a unique way.
On Monday, August 12, 2024, Morris College President Dr. Said Sewell moved into his own dorm room on campus. His mission is to live like the students for this week.
When students asked him what made him decide to move into a dorm, he told them he wants to experience what they experience to determine if it’s fit, comfortable, clean and healthy enough for them to live in.
This week, he is sleeping in the dorm, in his own room, and showering elsewhere to abide by certain laws and regulations.
Sewell held a quick sit down with a few students in the dorm. He was joined by student leaders, transfers and freshmen as he settled into his room.
“How were your first few days on campus?” Sewell began. The general answer in the room was, “Good”.
“What are some challenges or problems so far?” Sewell continued.
“I would say adjusting since I’m not used to being here and it’s my first year of college,” Jermichael Thomas, freshman Cybersecurity major said. “It’s just something I have to get used to.”
Dylan Levy, junior Business major said he appreciated the welcoming vibe he received during orientation compared to where he went to school before transferring to Morris.
“I’m liking it here,” Levy said. “I was just telling [the other students] that at my last school, during the first meetings and orientation, it wasn’t a bunch of ‘call-and-response’ it was mostly like ‘this is what this is’ and there wasn’t much feedback,” he continued. “They told us they wanted us to succeed but it didn’t seem like they really meant it, but I really feel it here.”
The student leaders expressed their gratitude and said they felt great that Levy felt comfortable on their watch.
“It feels more home-like, especially with it being an HBCU, it just feels more like home,” Levy said.
Sewell said there are two things to know about attending an HBCU.
“The thing about being at an HBCU is that every day you are going to meet somebody who one, looks like you and [two] has your best interests at heart,” Sewell said. The professors here are committed to helping you all do well.”
Sewell shared with the students the reason he chose Morris College over other schools.
“I didn’t want to go somewhere that didn’t care about the students,” he said. “I’ve been telling my faculty and staff that if we ever forget the reason we’re here, which is you all (the students), then we should close the doors and go home.”
He continued to inform the students that the school is nothing beneficial without them. The students and their well-being come first which is why in the next few weeks, there will be bathroom renovations in several of the dorms on campus. Issues have been raised in the past and students have urged Dr. Sewell to “see for himself”. The College is using COVID-19 funds to knock down bathrooms in RCJ, AMMA and New Women’s residence halls.
“In the past, we implemented temporary solutions, such as applying paint, but we didn’t address the issues,” he said. “My administration is student-centered—from advancing student success to creating a vibrant campus life to investing in the campus.”
Privacy is important to the youth population, and they do not get that with the bathroom’s plastic shower curtains.
“It is unbelievable to me,” Sewell said. “Privacy is essential as it fosters a sense of respect for each individual. Students, like all individuals, deserve this consideration, even if a private bathroom isn’t feasible. This is why I am committed to prioritizing student life, both in and outside of the classroom, our paramount goal.”
“I’m glad they will be changing the shower curtains because that was my thing,” Zaila Robinson, student leader and senior Early Childhood Education major said. She would always mention that the shower curtains needed to be changed.
Dr. Sewell and the students continued to talk about the issues on Morris College’s campus and as he took notes of what the students mentioned, he provided solutions and promises to address those issues. The conversation shifted to discussing personal choices like diet and nutrition. Sewell and Olivia Brooks, student leader and junior Biology Major, bonded over their mutual decision to become a pescatarian.
“In college, I gave up eating pork and later “red” meat, so I get it,” Sewell said. “We must ensure that we [Morris College’s food services] are responsive to the dietary needs of our diverse student population.”
“Is it to the point where you can’t handle the smell of it being cooked?” Brooks asked. “Because I can’t stand the smell”
He explained that he couldn’t be around or smell anything with blood on it.
“It’s crazy how people don’t even ask [about your dietary restrictions],” Brooks said. “I feel like that’s something we should be asked”
Sewell agreed with her point and suggested the students bring that issue up with the Student Government Association to get a plan into effect.
“Some people may be pescatarian, vegetarian and we don’t think about their dietary needs,” Sewell said. “That’s a problem! “
“I was close with the chef,” Brooks said. “He asked me, but I’m probably not the only one”
They were tasked with reaching out to the SGA and Dean Freeman, Dean of Student Affairs to create a survey/questionnaire to determine the route to take in order to have multiple dietary options available in the school’s cafeteria.
The students are looking to Dr. Sewell to make changes. When asked what is one thing they are all looking forward to with the new president coming into office, they all said changes and elevation.
“I want you all to be able to say to your friends ‘Come check out our campus’,” he said. “We will have concerts, activities and more fun on campus.”
“It’s not a lot of student life [now],” Karriem McGriff, student leader and junior Cybersecurity major said.
Sewell promised to change the way students view their school and campus. His goal is to make students want to come to Morris and want to stay.
In the coming months, the campus will not only see renovated bathrooms in the dorms but also maintenance upgrades to fix other issues, landscaping changes to include new flowers, a boost in student life and activities, furniture upgrades in dorm lobbies and altering the hours the Hornet’s Nest opens for students to relax, do homework, play games, etc.
Stay updated on Morris College by following the College on social media and Dr. Sewell on Instagram @morrisprez11, X @MorrisPrez11, and LinkedIn at Said Sewell, PH.D., CFRM.