Meet your student leaders: USG, TUCP presidents
August 19, 2015
Over the next two weeks The Hullabaloo will be publishing biographies on some notable student leaders on campus. This week we sat down with the president of the Undergraduate Student Government, Madeline Hicks, and the president of Tulane University Campus Programming, Charlie Cucciniello.
Madeline Hicks, USG President
Hicks is arguably the busiest student on Tulane’s campus, but that won’t stop her from tackling her new role as president of USG. A member of Tulane Emergency Medical Services, the club cycling team, Phi Mu sorority and a full-time student double majoring in political science and gender and sexuality studies, Hicks has a lot on her plate. She’s the first USG president who also rides with TEMS.
Hicks got involved with USG as a sophomore. She had given up hope of becoming a USG senator when she was able to land a position after applying for an open seat (the previously elected individual had to drop out).
“I think my favorite part [of USG] is that I get to spend time with people who really care about the place that they’re in,” Hicks said. “I think that’s so rare.”
When she isn’t busy on campus, she enjoys walking her dog, a black labrador and great dane mix that she rescued, and going downtown to Acme Oyster House.
“I love oysters,” Hicks said. “They are my one and only vice.”
Additionally, the junior works part-time at Tulane’s Office of International Students and Scholars. She said her busy schedule only adds to her college experience.
“I have a great time, I mean, I love Tulane,” Hicks said.
Charlie Cucciniello, TUCP President
Charlie Cucciniello is a veteran of TUCP who plans to bring events and programming to campus this year. Cucciniello, a senior, is a marketing manager from Ramsey, New Jersey who became involved with TUCP as a first-semester freshman when he joined TUCP’s Concert Committee and now assumes the proud role of president.
In all his years with TUCP, Cucciniello most fondly speaks of his colleagues on the TUCP board and the club’s participants. He says the people are easily the best component of his TUCP experience.
“Everyone is really excited about what we do and excited about events on campus, and honestly [are] just very great, awesome people,” Cucciniello said.
Cucciniello also shared that one of TUCP’s comedy shows will be announced in a couple of weeks.
In addition to his involvement on campus, Cucciniello is an avid music fan, particularly of the vibrant music scene that New Orleans offers to all who visit or live here.
“Honestly, my favorite places to go in New Orleans are the incredible music venues we have access to, including the House of Blues and Tipitina’s,” Cucciniello said. “The concerts are incredible. I love it, so every chance I get I head over to those venues and just check out the music.”
When it comes to his favorite thing about Tulane, Cucciniello had a difficult time choosing a single attribute that makes Tulane special to him.
“The first would be being in the city of New Orleans,”Cucciniello said. “In addition, what I love about Tulane is the people that you meet; Tulane students are a very interesting breed of people. They come from all over the country and they have a bunch of different interests.”
Cucciniello recommends that new students attend the activities expo the first week of the semester, as he and his roommate were able to connect with multiple organizations that set up displays and informational tables across campus.
“My favorite thing would also be how easy, or accessible, it is to get involved on campus,” Cucciniello said. “We have over 200 organizations on campus, and anything you want to do, there is probably an organization for it.”
Exploring the city of New Orleans is an important and thrilling component of life at Tulane that Cucciniello urges students never to underestimate.
“I would say the best college advice I’ve received is to go out and explore every single option you have because you never know what you might find,” Cucciniello said.
Additional reporting by Kate Jamison, Online News Editor
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