Davis & Elkins College has a time-honored tradition of providing a single student each year the rare opportunity to act as President of the College for a day. This year, junior Sidney Megna, Class of ’26, was selected to perform Monday’s presidential duties. Megna, of Fairmont, West Virginia, is majoring in Political Science and English, with a minor in Pre-Law, and is a highly engaged and active student.
Megna’s duties for the day began with a meeting between herself as President for a day and the 15th President of the College, Chris A. Wood. From there, a myriad meetings would continue, including those with Board of Trustees Chair Dave Cutlip, Provost Mike Mattison, the D&E Cabinet, Dean of Students Kate Garlick, Institutional Advancement representatives Vice President Scott Goddard, Amrit Rayfield and Amelia Rossi, Director of Human Resources Jane Corey, and Director of Public Safety Casey Kopp, before finally returning to the President’s Office for a closing meeting with Chris Wood. Megna also served as guest speaker at Elkins Rotary and provided an interview for WDTV.
“President for a day was both fun and insightful!” says Megna. “It was neat to get a well-rounded understanding of how the campus runs behind the scenes. Knowing everyone cares so much about making this institution keep rolling makes me grateful to be a part of D&E. Also, getting to share my experience with Elkins Rotary was a great opportunity to share the good things pouring out of the College. Plus, getting to sit behind President Wood’s desk was pretty cool!”
Wood, with a similarly packed schedule, began the day in a meeting with Megna before embarking on a journey across campus, attending Megna’s Monday classes in International Political Economy and Faith and Public Policy. Wood also provided interviews for local news, attended meetings with D&E’s Cabinet, Athletic Director Jennifer Riggleman and Senior Director of Enrollment Management & Student Success Angie Scott, before returning for a closing meeting with Megna.
“Sidney Megna is a leader with a bright future,” says D&E President Chris A. Wood. “The insight she gained as ‘President for a Day’ is hands-on training for her promising career in politics. As for me, sitting in a classroom as a student reminded me yet again of the quality of our faculty and the promise of our students. Only at a unique higher education institution like D&E would this experience for Sidney and me be possible.”
This is the 4th Annual President Switch Day at Davis & Elkins College. Megna is the College’s first Citizen’s Bank of WV Emerging Leader winner to be selected for the occasion.
