Chris Camire is 20, an Edward Little grad from 2010 and the University of Southern Maine’s youngest-ever student body president.

He was elected to the position at the end of last year, as a freshmen. Later this month, he’ll try for another first: holding onto the seat during March elections.

Camire is a technology management major who plans to go into professional IT. When he’s not busy with work and school, or hanging out with family and his fiancee, you might just find him commanding center stage.

Name: Chris Camire

Lives: On campus, Gorham. Permanent residence in Auburn until fall of 2012.

What are the duties of student body president? I act as the executive authority of the Student Government Association (SGA) of the University of Southern Maine. The SGA operates with a budget of roughly half-a-million dollars coming from our university’s student activity fee. My primary duties are to act as the primary conduit of communication between the student body and USM faculty/administration, and coordinate and supervise our eight SGA entities as well as the Student Senate.

Highlight so far: One incredible highlight is the visit from Ron Paul to USM. In a four-day window, I was contacted and asked to spearhead his visit, organized the who/what/when/where, acted as the primary liaison and university official to the event, brought hundreds of people to the Gorham campus, and got USM in media from Fort Kent all the way to Texas.

Say I’m new at USM. Why get involved with student government? Student government is an incredible way to network, gain professional experience before graduating and learn a long list of skills you will need in the world ahead of you. Student government gives you the power to make changes as students at USM of any caliber. Along the way, making these changes, you will meet people of incredible experience that would be more than happy to give you a tip or two and maybe even write you a letter of recommendation for your post-college career. Many student government representatives are appointed to professional university councils and committees.

Name a change or policy you’ve had a hand in and been proudest of: One big change in leadership that I’m proud to be involved with is the hiring of a new provost (vice president for academic affairs). For the past months I have been the student representative on a small search committee charged with finding an able candidate to fill the position of provost. This experience not only has introduced me to incredible doctors and national leaders, but has thrown me into one of the most stressful and professional processes of any organization.

Have a political role model? Regardless of political affiliation, my role model has always been the president of the United States. A leader and an inspiration, POTUS is someone I’ll always look to as a role model. Who knows, it’d be pretty neat to sit in that seat some day!

The title “student body president” suggests a high level of polish and professionalism. What’s the silliest/most unexpected thing you’ve done in the last six months? As much as I try to be polished and professional, I’m planning on taking part in a flash mob with some dance choreography to it. In the past, I’m proud to say I haven’t done anything worthy of an expose! I always like to have fun in my job. I’m not stern or a humdrum president. You’ll often find me DJing USM dances and jumping on the dance floor myself. I plan on being the first student body president to run for re-election and really utilizing my first learning year and all the experience it has given me.

Word is, you’re a singer, too? Maybe in the vein of Michael Buble . . . Hah, that’s right! I’m the second winner of Maine’s Got Talent, put on by the Miss Maine Scholarship Program. I’m now the MC of its fourth annual show this May and an annual volunteer and performer for the pageant program. I’ve been singing for audiences as big as around 30k since the beginning of my high school days. You’ll either see me singing Frank Sinatra or the Star Spangled Banner!

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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