Women's Senator

Hi! My name is Alexis Smith and I am a 4th year Mechanical Engineering major and currently pursuing a minor in Women and Gender studies. I am currently the president of RIT Launch Initiative, a performance team focused on rocketry. Through my current position as well as the 2 other positions I have previously held, I have worked hard to make it a comfortable and supportive environment for everyone. I have held a variety of on- campus jobs, my positions in dining lasting the shortest amount of time and my favorites being the work I have done with the Mechanical Engineering department, as a tour guide, a teaching assistant, and currently a Machine Shop assistant. Outside of school I like to go to the gym, watch movies, and build legos. I eat a buffalo chicken wrap at Brick City everyday and if you ever see me there or anywhere on campus feel free to say hi!

As a candidate for Women’s Senator at RIT, my goal is to ensure that every woman on campus has access to the resources, support, and community they deserve, resources that already exist but are often overlooked. As a STEM-focused institution where women remain underrepresented in many spaces, it is especially important that we foster visible, accessible systems of support and community. From mental health services to professional organizations and community events, there are so many opportunities for women to grow, connect, and thrive, yet students frequently miss them. With my experience as a WGST student, I understand how to navigate these programs and see where the gaps in communication and accessibility are. My goal is to act as a bridge between existing resources, organizations, and students, making it easier for women to find the support they need and fully engage with all that RIT has to offer.

A top priority for me is improving access to essential resources. I will advocate for free sanitary products in every building, ensuring everyone has the basics they need without barriers. While the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Resource Center (WGSRC) already offers valuable support, including hygiene supplies, identity resources, embedded mental health services, and PRISM (PRogressive Intersectional Space to Meet), many students are unaware of everything available to them. These resources are impactful, but they are largely centralized in one location. I want to both increase visibility of what already exists and work toward expanding resources to additional colleges and buildings so that students can access support where they spend their time. Resources should not feel hidden or distant; they should be visible and integrated into everyday life on campus.

Beyond physical resources, I want to strengthen communication across women-centered organizations and initiatives. The WGSRC, RIT Women in Business, WE@RIT, WISE, WIT, RIT Women in Computing, and other groups host events, workshops, and networking opportunities throughout the year. However, students outside certain majors or circles often never hear about them. I will advocate for developing the WGSRC webpage into a centralized, user-friendly hub that clearly highlights events, organizations, and opportunities across campus. By acting as a connector between these groups, I can help ensure that information reaches a broader audience and that students feel invited into these spaces.

I am also committed to building on the progress already underway. I will continue supporting the goals of the current Women’s Senator, particularly the development of the Women’s Student Advisory Board. Strengthening this board will create a consistent and meaningful channel between the student body and student government, ensuring that concerns, ideas, and experiences from women across campus are directly represented and acted upon.

Ultimately my platform is about connection, connecting students to resources, organizations to each other, and voices to leadership. We already have the foundation for a strong and supportive women’s community at RIT. As Women’s Senator, I will work to expand access, improve communication, and strengthen representation so that every woman feels informed, supported, and empowered to thrive.