In the search for a new Vice President, Oakland chose three top candidates. A week after Eric Norman spoke with the Oakland community about his run as the next Vice President of Student Affairs, Franklin D. Chambers had his chance.

A past employee from Bowie State University and Howard University in both academics and student affairs, Chambers has experience dating back to the 1990’s. Most recently, he was the Vice President of Student Affairs at Coppin State University in Baltimore.

“We should provide opportunities for students to grow,” Chambers said. “We need to meet them where they’re at but also expect them to grow; I believe that will come through service learning.”

If elected, Chambers said he plans to bring many leadership and service opportunities to the students of OU to help us become well-rounded individuals. He feels that service and leadership are important parts of becoming successful.

Chambers mentioned wanting to reach out to the city of Pontiac to do service projects there and to involve the students in small projects to improve our own campus.

He also said that communication between students and faculty was important to a successful university. Chambers spoke with the crowd about his wildly successful Chicken and Waffles Night that he held at Coppin State University.

“It was a foreign food to them, so I would challenge students to come to Chicken and Waffle Night in the dining hall.” Chambers said. “It became a monthly activity, it gave me an opportunity to meet students and to get to know them as well as hear their voices.”

Chambers went on to say that the event became something that many faculty members attended, they even sat and spoke with the students. The event led to students feeling more comfortable with the institution they were attending.

“He seems to be really student centered, which is good.” Nick Walter, Student Body President, said.

In the end, Chambers said that he wants to make Oakland a tightly knit community where people feel their voice is heard and that they are important. He wants Oakland to be a place that leaders who care for others can be built.

“We need to stand for one Oakland, one Grizzly.” Chambers said.