Department of Sociology

Name: Dayna
Hometown: Winston Salem, NC
Major: Sociology

President of the Sociology Club, Dayna Payne confesses she is a rookie in the role of leadership.  She never planned for her recent appointment, but the Winston-Salem native is easing into her position with an optimistic outlook.

She expounds, “The Sociology Club had not been active for two years, so we decided to get it up and running again.  I started sharing ideas, and the next thing I knew, they elected me as president. Presidency is strange for me because I usually don’t lead; I usually follow.” 

However, Dayna’s declaration must be grounded in modesty. During further discussion about the Sociology Club, it sounds as if she knows exactly what she’s doing. With only six months having passed since her election, it seems as if the ball is already rolling. So far, the club has engaged in fundraising activities to meet the financial needs of what it would cost to achieve their proposed goals.  Dayna says they had a bake sale every day for an extended period and were able to raise a substantial amount of money.

During this upcoming academic year, they will have a yard sale and are currently selling t-shirts.  The Sociology Club, which now boasts thirty active members, will stake its claim in community outreach as well. Dayna says the group will sponsor the Broadell and
Seabrook neighborhoods by offering volunteer services for the youth and the elderly. 

“There are a lot of elderly people in that area who need services to be provided. Also, we want to raise the literacy level of children from low to moderate-income households.”

But one project she really hopes will culminate is a memorial service for victims of senseless violence.  This issue is not only a concern for her as an aspiring counselor for at-risk families, but it is also a touchy subject because earlier this spring she lost a nephew to gun violence.

On the lighter side, Dayna says that a cook-out/fun day is underway as well as a beautification project on campus.

As a non-traditional undergraduate student and a mother of four sons, Dayna will certainly be busy until she graduates next spring. But she has plans on making her last year at FSU productive. She takes her new task seriously and acknowledges that it will take team work to revive the organization.

“The hardest part is adjusting to people’s schedule, but ultimately, we realize that we have made a commitment by becoming officers and members.  And the professors have really been helpful by giving us ideas.”

She concludes, “The Sociology Club is here to help. I believe that it is good to belong to an organization in which you can make a difference.  We’ve been trying to motivate people and let them know we are here, and we won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”