By Lauren Mar ’25
After her time as the vice president of student activities for the past two years, Melina Durre ’25 has begun a new role as the president of Scripps Associated Students (SAS). Hailing from Rancho Palos Verdes, California, Durre is a media studies major with a minor in biology.
Outside of SAS, she fills her time as one of the co-coordinators of the Admissions Ambassador team and an employee with the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) Department of Athletics. When she’s not in class or a meeting, Durre can be found in her room overlooking the rose garden in Toll Hall, sitting in Seal Court with her friends, or working in the student union since it has been renovated—one of the initiatives that Durre led this year.
What inspired you to run for SAS president?
Ever since I joined SAS in my sophomore year, I’ve felt really welcomed by everyone involved. It’s the most diverse group that I’ve been a part of at The Claremont Colleges. Because of how welcoming and supportive SAS was, I always looked forward to attending the meetings.
As the VPSA, I worked closely with two different presidents, Tsion Mamo ‘23 and Lily Dunkin ’24, who were both inspiring and encouraging. I wanted to follow in their footsteps and replicate the change that they were making during their tenure.
What kind of impact do you hope to make on campus?
I want people to see SAS as an organization that they can rely on for more than just providing campus vibrancy. Those events are really important and helped give Scripps a boost in an area we needed to revive, but I want people to know that SAS is also interested in making the campus a better place in other ways. Whether it’s communicating with administration to change certain policies or enact more meaningful and longstanding change, SAS is a place of support for the student body.
What are your priorities and goals this year?
I want to make SAS more productive in creating tangible change, which I’ve already seen so far. One big effort this year has been cleaning up the student union. I wanted to make the space more homey and cozy in a way that will make students want to access the space and want to spend time in it. Before the renovation effort, it was looking a little bit sterile and unwelcoming, so students were not utilizing the space. But since redecorating, the student union has been consistently busy and we’ve been hearing a lot of positive feedback.
The SAS Senate, which is a group of students who assist in event planning, is starting up and beginning a lot of projects. I think that SAS is going to be way more productive than ever before in addressing student needs, so I’m really excited about that.
What do you want Scripps students to know about you and your role?
Durre addressing new Scripps students and families
The SAS president is more of a management role within SAS, so I’m someone people can go to for general questions which I can pass on to a person who will have more specific information.
I also act as a direct liaison between higher-up positions in the College administration, like the president, the dean of students, and the dean of faculty. I meet monthly with the dean of students and the president of the College to discuss topics that impact the student body. I hope people know that if there’s something that they would like to be brought to those two individuals’ attention, then they can come to me to bring it up.
I also want to hear from other students on ways SAS can improve certain aspects of campus life. I do feel like people come to me for help, which makes me feel like students understand my position as SAS president.
Is there anything you hope to pass on or make a tradition once you graduate?
Somebody asked me this during my office hours last week, and I said that I want the Scripps block party to be a tradition. Beyond vibrancy events, I hope students continue to produce art in the student union and maintain it as a student-centered space.
There are ongoing discussions right now about student-led spaces and what it means to be fully autonomous. I hope that the student union is a place on campus that will remain a space by the students and for the students because it’s entirely controlled by SAS. That’s why I think creating more vibrancy in the student union through student artwork would be really awesome in maintaining that autonomy.
Also, something that I have continued from the previous president—which I hope future presidents will continue to do—is forming good relationships with the presidents at the other colleges.
What are you hoping to pursue in the future? Do you have any post-graduation plans?
My dream career would be working in the sports industry on the media side. After graduation, I will probably work for a year or two and then go to grad school for sports media.