While many of her fellow classmates would give anything to swing a trip to her native Virgin Islands, Student Senate President Sharifa Charlery had only thoughts of "escaping" this land of paradise back in 1994.

Like her sister before her, who had left home a year earlier to attend Norfolk State University, Charlery looked to the U.S. mainland for her education. It was her sister, in fact, who spoke so highly about Old Dominion, she said.

Now a 19-year-old senior, Charlery was elected in May as Old Dominion's student body president, the first black female to hold the post in the university's history. She believes, however, that it is her experience and knowledge of the Student Senate that truly sets her apart from her predecessors. She became involved with the senate her freshman year and has served as chair of its Human Relations Committee. She also serves as a Student Ambassador for Old Dominion. Charlery built her election platform on the theme "Real Ideas for Real People."

"I believe many people come into positions like this with ideals and waste a lot of time determining what realistically can be accomplished during their term," she said. "What makes me different is that I know how the Student Senate works and what issues I need to focus on." One of her goals is to ensure that graduates receive their degree certificates on high-quality paper. "I know firsthand as a student how hard one works to receive a degree. They deserve the most affordable and the highest quality diploma," she said.

Charlery also plans to help improve the instructor evaluation process during her term as president. "I would like to see the student evaluations of professors be more of a constructive tool that the students take seriously, as well as a tool to offer positive feedback that will help enhance the professors' teaching skills," she said.

Although her role as president is just beginning, she is hopeful that she can make a difference in promoting school spirit. "I would like to see more students and faculty members support various Old Dominion events. I would be very satisfied if I knew that during my time I made a difference in promoting school spirit."

Charlery, who graduated from high school at age 16, is pursuing her bachelor's degree in premedicine. She plans to go on to medical school and become a doctor.