Student Government Association
Student Government Association
Forever Undaunted: How Cori’Anna White Turned Loss Into Leadership at Spelman
Forever Undaunted: How Cori’Anna White Turned Loss Into Leadership at Spelman
Cori’Anna White was lying in her bed in LLC 1 when her phone lit up.
It was freshman year at Spelman College, and the election results for freshman class council had just been posted on Instagram. Before she even opened the post, the text messages started coming in.
“I just started getting all these text messages,” White said. “People were like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ And I was like, dang, I lost.”
She remembers not just the disappointment, but the embarrassment of putting herself forward in front of her peers.
Three years later, she would become the 84th president of the Spelman College Student Government Association.
White’s path to leadership is defined less by titles than by persistence. Guided by faith and a commitment to advocacy, the graduating Senior Political Science Major built a leadership journey rooted in resilience, empathy and relationship-building.
“I’m a God-fearing Black woman who is intelligent, caring, kind, loving, who prides herself on her community,” White said. “I’m someone who dreams…someone who perseveres.”
Now serving as SGA President during her senior year, Cori’Anna balances a demanding academic career that includes double minors in Spanish and Management and Organization. She previously served as SGA Vice President and Chief of Staff, and participated in initiatives such as Spelman On The Hill, Future Business Leaders of Spelman, and AltFinance. She is also a proud Spring ‘25 initiate of the Eta Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Despite the accomplishments, White says her leadership has never been about recognition alone.
“A lot of people saw me as a leader my freshman year, even though I didn’t hold that presidential position,” White said. “You can still be a changemaker without that title.”
White said her commitment to advocacy began before Spelman.
Before arriving at Spelman, White served as SGA President in high school and as a student advisor of her district school board, representing over 330,000 students. Leading at such an early age strengthened her commitment to advocacy and public service.
Still, losing her freshman election tested that commitment.
“That experience taught me that not everything will come easy,” she said. “Some things you have to try, try, try again.”
White reaffirmed how the experience felt and how it ultimately reshaped how she viewed failure.
“It wasn’t even a bad experience,” she said. “I was sad… but it made me unafraid of doing hard things.”
Her motivation to continue advocating for others also came from deeply personal experiences growing up in Miami, Florida, where she witnessed the effects of gun violence in her community. While she was in middle school, one of her friends committed suicide after struggling with instability and mental health challenges.
“I think that's when I was like, dang, like, people our age really are dying,” she said, recalling the death of her close friend, with whom she used to ride the school bus.
She said the experience made her realize her friend felt trapped by foster care instability and abuse.
“She felt like she had no hope,” White said. “And that’s when I realized the importance of advocating for people who can’t advocate for themselves.”
That commitment is reflected in the initiatives she prioritized during her time serving in Spelman’s SGA, including expanding access to menstrual products in residence halls and advocating for additional mental health resources on campus.
Photo by Ariana Frinks
“I hope that people can become hopeful of the change that actually comes from SGA,” she said.
White’s leadership has also influenced other students’ opportunities on campus, including Analiese Poe, a sophomore Health Science Major from Tennessee who currently serves as SGA Secretary of Student Affairs and Vice President-Elect for the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
“When I arrived at Spelman, I encountered leadership opportunities that are rarely accessible to first-year students,” said Poe. “Because of leaders like Cori’Anna who made space for me, I was able to serve on the RSO Leadership Council as the only first-year student.”
For White, leadership is grounded in servant leadership and faith.
“In everything that I do, I try to lead with intention and most importantly lead with God,” she said. “Being a leader just isn’t about leading, it’s also about following. I always try to make sure people feel heard, feel seen, feel valued,” she said.
After graduation, White plans to attend law school and become the first attorney in her family. Long term, she hopes to continue working in advocacy and eventually pursue running for office.
Years after losing her first election at Spelman, White now leaves campus as its SGA President with a message she hopes students will remember long after she graduates.
“Anything is possible,” she said. “Your experiences don’t define who you are. Instead, you do.”
Cori’Anna White was lying in her bed in LLC 1 when her phone lit up.
It was freshman year at Spelman College, and the election results for freshman class council had just been posted on Instagram. Before she even opened the post, the text messages started coming in.
“I just started getting all these text messages,” White said. “People were like, ‘I’m so sorry.’ And I was like, dang, I lost.”
She remembers not just the disappointment, but the embarrassment of putting herself forward in front of her peers.
Three years later, she would become the 84th president of the Spelman College Student Government Association.
White’s path to leadership is defined less by titles than by persistence. Guided by faith and a commitment to advocacy, the graduating Senior Political Science Major built a leadership journey rooted in resilience, empathy and relationship-building.
“I’m a God-fearing Black woman who is intelligent, caring, kind, loving, who prides herself on her community,” White said. “I’m someone who dreams…someone who perseveres.”
Now serving as SGA President during her senior year, Cori’Anna balances a demanding academic career that includes double minors in Spanish and Management and Organization. She previously served as SGA Vice President and Chief of Staff, and participated in initiatives such as Spelman On The Hill, Future Business Leaders of Spelman, and AltFinance. She is also a proud Spring ‘25 initiate of the Eta Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Despite the accomplishments, White says her leadership has never been about recognition alone.
“A lot of people saw me as a leader my freshman year, even though I didn’t hold that presidential position,” White said. “You can still be a changemaker without that title.”
White said her commitment to advocacy began before Spelman.
Before arriving at Spelman, White served as SGA President in high school and as a student advisor of her district school board, representing over 330,000 students. Leading at such an early age strengthened her commitment to advocacy and public service.
Still, losing her freshman election tested that commitment.
“That experience taught me that not everything will come easy,” she said. “Some things you have to try, try, try again.”
White reaffirmed how the experience felt and how it ultimately reshaped how she viewed failure.
“It wasn’t even a bad experience,” she said. “I was sad… but it made me unafraid of doing hard things.”
Her motivation to continue advocating for others also came from deeply personal experiences growing up in Miami, Florida, where she witnessed the effects of gun violence in her community. While she was in middle school, one of her friends committed suicide after struggling with instability and mental health challenges.
“I think that's when I was like, dang, like, people our age really are dying,” she said, recalling the death of her close friend, with whom she used to ride the school bus.
She said the experience made her realize her friend felt trapped by foster care instability and abuse.
“She felt like she had no hope,” White said. “And that’s when I realized the importance of advocating for people who can’t advocate for themselves.”
That commitment is reflected in the initiatives she prioritized during her time serving in Spelman’s SGA, including expanding access to menstrual products in residence halls and advocating for additional mental health resources on campus.
Photo by Ariana Frinks
“I hope that people can become hopeful of the change that actually comes from SGA,” she said.
White’s leadership has also influenced other students’ opportunities on campus, including Analiese Poe, a sophomore Health Science Major from Tennessee who currently serves as SGA Secretary of Student Affairs and Vice President-Elect for the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
“When I arrived at Spelman, I encountered leadership opportunities that are rarely accessible to first-year students,” said Poe. “Because of leaders like Cori’Anna who made space for me, I was able to serve on the RSO Leadership Council as the only first-year student.”
For White, leadership is grounded in servant leadership and faith.
“In everything that I do, I try to lead with intention and most importantly lead with God,” she said. “Being a leader just isn’t about leading, it’s also about following. I always try to make sure people feel heard, feel seen, feel valued,” she said.
After graduation, White plans to attend law school and become the first attorney in her family. Long term, she hopes to continue working in advocacy and eventually pursue running for office.
Years after losing her first election at Spelman, White now leaves campus as its SGA President with a message she hopes students will remember long after she graduates.
“Anything is possible,” she said. “Your experiences don’t define who you are. Instead, you do.”