The new president of the Student Government Association doubles as a goalkeeper for the Riverhawks soccer team.
Jayeim Blake, a second-year kinesiology student, said he likes to stay busy.
“The good thing about it is that at some point in your life you’re going to be busy,” Blake, an international student from Trinidad and Tabago, said. “Whether it be, like, when you’re in your adulthood or you’re in your teenage [years], you’re always going to be busy. You might as well get the flow going.”
Blake, who won the race for SGA president in May, replaced communications student Zack Buster, who graduated in the spring and transferred to the University of Maryland this semester.
“Seeing how the group that Zack … would like, coordinate events and stuff, I always thought that … is the type of thing I wanted to do,” Blake said. “I’m more into sports, but I’m also into leadership.”
Blake said his dual duties are “a lot of work” but added, “I’m enjoying the things that I’m doing.”
Blake, who also played soccer for the Riverhawks last year, was previously a goalkeeper for Trinidad and Tobago’s U17 national team from September 2022 to January 2023.
Blake, who was valedictorian of his high school class in Trinidad and Tabago, described his role as goalkeeper for the U17 national team as “very hard.”
“When I was doing that, it took a lot out of me,” he said. “It would take me about two to three hours to get to practice, meaning I’ll have to leave school much earlier than usual to get a practice so it would take out a lot of my grades.”
Still, Blake added, “After like, you know, putting everything together, I was able to … pull my grades together.”
AACC Athletic Director Duane Herr said Blake is capable of balancing his roles as SGA president and goalkeeper.
“He’s proven that he has [a] very good work ethic,” Herr said. “He’s been a great student, from what I’ve seen.”
According to Blake, his family and friends agree.
“My family thinks it’s really cool because it can go towards my resume. It goes towards my personality,” Blake said. “So they were … very excited for me to take on this role” as SGA president.