From a small town to student body vice president, Abry Layrisson has plans for kind contributions during her term.

Layrisson is a Ponchatoula native and a political communication senior. She joined Student Government her sophomore year when the now Student Body President Lavar Henderson encouraged her involvement. The two hit it off and worked on initiatives in the Student Senate together, which ultimately led to their partnership in office.

“We work super well together, our personalities mix well, and it’s almost like a really good balancing act,” Layrisson said.

Layrisson is in the Tri Delta sorority at LSU and is a former member of the Public Relations Student Society of America. She was also a member of the Student Philanthropy Council, a strong passion of hers. She expressed her excitement about getting involved in the community and how this position will allow her to achieve her goals on a bigger scale.

She is also excited about the Department of Philanthropy within the executive branch. Their goal is to promote a “culture of giving” on LSU’s campus and organize a group for students who are unable to get involved in SG but still want the opportunity to volunteer on campus and around Baton Rouge.

“Whether helping with the Food Pantry or the Tailored Tiger, I really just want to promote a culture of giving and leave my mark in that way,” Layrisson said.

A new department Layrisson is excited about is the Department of Workforce Development. It’s a partnership with the Career Center that will provide resources to students for their post-grad life.

Layrisson acknowledges that students have immense pressure to decide their direction in the world. She and Henderson want to acknowledge this and allow for as many students as possible to take advantage of the opportunities LSU offers.

“It’s a lot of pressure on mental health for seniors figuring out what you wanna do for the rest of your life, even though in reality it’s not like that, it can feel that way,” Layrisson said.

Another issue Layrisson touched on is parking, and how she and Henderson plan on working with the administration to find the best possible solution for students. They understand students’ frustration and hope to resolve some issues.

Layrisson announced their exciting plan to bring back Tigercast. Tigercast is a news broadcast in partnership with Tiger TV to raise money for the Student Emergency Support Fund. This fund supports students who have been affected by fires, floods and other disasters.

Layrisson and Henderson are also looking to host more events and have been working closely with the dean of students. They are planning events like helping the student body get to know LSU’s administration and pie-ing student leaders in the Quad.

“We have some really fun things we want to do, just like a challenge to raise money for a good cause,” Layrisson said.

Over the summer, Layrisson and Henderson collaborated with the administration and internal SG but are hoping to work with more people around campus to accomplish their goals. She acknowledged how helpful the administration has been in working with them and allowing them to dream big with their plans and initiatives.

Layrisson encouraged the student body to attend SG Monday table sits, saying she will be there as often as she can. She expressed her love for hearing what students have to say and is open to solutions to better the LSU community. She hopes by the end of her term to see a more united community and for there to be positive changes from when they were first elected.

“My goal is to promote a culture of giving and being kind to people, even if it’s just giving a smile on your face,” Layrisson said. “I really want everyone to feel welcome here.”