Florida State University Congress of Graduate Students

Congress of Graduate Students

 

COGS Executive Board Profiles



Executive Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

Speaker: Jack Rowan

Contact: COGSSpeaker@admin.fsu.edu

 

 Jack Rowan is a first-year student at the Florida State University College of Law from Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated magna cum laude from FSU in the fall of 2022 with his BS in Political Science and a minor in History. During his time as an undergraduate student, Jack participated in a range of organizations on campus and an array of roles in the Student Government Association, including as a member of the PAC Committee, Senate Parliamentarian, and Chair of the Commission on Student Government. Outside of academia, Jack occasionally writes guest columns in news publications around Jacksonville and maintains a keen interest in the structures of local governments throughout the State of Florida. The son of two public school teachers, Jack joined COGS during the 31st Congress with a keen interest in student welfare and working for the betterment of all graduate, post-baccalaureate, and professional students at the great Florida State University.



If you’d like to schedule an appointment with this COGS Executive Board Member, please contact them at the above email with the time during their listed office hours. These office hours are in person, please send an email if you would prefer to have your appointment by Zoom.

 

Office Hours:

Mondays: 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesdays: 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesdays: 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Fridays: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. (For the Week of 3/4-8/24, the Friday hours are moved to Thursday, 3/7, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.)

 

“Due to the differing semester schedule for the College of Law, Jack’s office hours will be changed for the following days as follows:

4/11: 10am-1pm. 4/12: CANCELED. 4/15: 11am-1pm. 4/16: 12pm-2pm. 4/19: 11am-2pm. 4/22: 1pm-5pm. 4/23: CANCELED. 4/25: 12:30pm-3:30pm. 4/26: CANCELED. Week of April 29th: CANCELED for Finals Week.”



 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Deputy Speaker for Finance: Joshua Burns
Contact: COGSDepSpeaker@admin.fsu.edu

 

Josh Burns (he/him/his) is an MS candidate for the Higher Education program at Florida State University. He received his BA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he majored in History and Secondary Education with a minor in Political Science. At FSU, he serves as one of the graduate assistants in the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE). Other involvement includes the Higher Education Student Association (HESA) and the FSU-FAMU PURPOSE research program. As a first-generation student himself, he holds a passion for researching the experiences of first-generation, low-income, and traditionally underrepresented students in higher education. He is currently conducting a research study on the transitional and first-year experiences of first-generation and low-income students, and the challenges or barriers faced in finding support. 

 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with this COGS Executive Board Member, please contact them at the above email with the time during their listed office hours.

 

Office Hours:

 

Mondays 2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesday 2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Thursday 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.


Zoom: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6946842389

 


 

 


 


     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deputy Speaker for Judicial Affairs: Ridwan Balogun

Contact: SGA-COGS-JA@fsu.edu

 

 

 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with this COGS Executive Board Member, please contact them at the above email with the time during their listed office hours.

 

Office Hours:

Wednesdays 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. 

Zoom Link:https://fsu.zoom.us/j/6188758296 for meetings. 


Ridwan Balogun (he/him/his) is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Religion Department at Florida State University. He earned his BA and MA in Islamic Studies from the Department of Religions and Peace Studies at Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria. At FSU, he serves as an Instructor and Teaching Assistant for Introduction to World Religions (REL 1300) courses. His research interests center on the history and ethnography of Muslim networks in Nigeria and the Nigerian diaspora. He explores how Muslims adapt their Islamic worldview to Nigeria’s contemporary religious and cultural pluralism climate. Currently, he is conducting ethnographic research on Yoruba Salafis, a conservative Muslim minority group, and their efforts to transform their thoughts and practices, originally from Saudi Arabia, into a uniquely Nigerian Islamic tradition on par with Islamic currents in Nigeria. As a first-generation and international student, Ridwan is enthusiastic about supporting students in related categories and helping them transition into the US educational system. He actively sponsors and represents these students, advocating their concerns to the appropriate authorities.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Deputy Speaker for Communication: Laura Vaughn

Contact: SGA-COGS-Communication@fsu.edu


 

Laura Vaughn (she/her/hers) serves as a representative for the College of Education. She is a Ph.D. student in the Higher Education program with a graduate assistantship in the Leadership Learning Research Center. She received her international business double bachelor's degrees in business and foreign language from Mississippi State University. She got her master's degree in higher education and an MBA degree from the University of Mississippi. As a student at Florida State, she has been involved with the Higher Education Student Association. Her research interests include international student leadership development and engagement. She has been able to present on the topic of leadership education at various national and international conferences over the past year and hopes to continue her research on the topic of leadership education and engagement for many years to come.  

 

If you’d like to schedule an appointment with this COGS Executive Board Member, please contact them at the above email with the time during their listed office hours.

 

Office Hours:

Fridays: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Zoom: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97390235656


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

COGS | SGA Staff Profiles

 

COGS and SGA are supported by a team of professional staff, who ensure that our student officers, representatives, and constituents get the most out of our student government. The full team is listed on the SGA website.

 

 

Program Manager:
Kyanna Austin
NSU 3262
850-645-2986