Contributors: PHILLIP NGUYEN, COLIN McEVERS

---

There aren’t many student organizations at Salisbury University that Jahnaiya Sutherland, the president of SU’s NAACP chapter, hasn’t impacted or interacted with in some manner. In the three years that she’s been attending the institution, Sutherland has also become the President of the SU Multicultural Alliance (SUMA), the Vice President of Delta Sigma Theta and leads the Financial Appropriations Committee.

As the leader of SUMA, she has had the opportunity to empower various student organizations and connect with diverse communities, all of which have given her a new life perspective.

“I identify as Black, that is, the highest minority population on our campus,” Sutherland said. “But being President of the Multicultural Alliance, I’ve been able to understand the different multicultural groups on campus that may not feel like they’re as seen or as represented as other cultures on this campus.”

As a Junior, the 2025 to 2026 academic year is Sutherland’s last at Salisbury University. She intends to make the most of her Senior year, leaving SU better off by the time graduation rolls around.

“My one initiative that I have, and that I want to see happen, is [the] FSL community becoming a part of the campus community,” Sutherland said.

Her involvement in Delta Sigma Theta, one of the Divine 9 historically Black Greek Life organization, has opened her eyes to the principles of her chapter: Sutherland says that her chapter stands on scholarship, social action, sisterhood and service of underserved communities. She strongly believes that Greek Life organizations need to be more effectively integrated into the campus community.

“One thing is bridging that gap, where FSL doesn’t feel as isolated because, at the end of the day, a lot of people are in FSL,” she said. “I just want to bring them together.”

---

Featured image: Colin McEvers/TheBuryPost

This article is also included in the March, 2025 issue of The Bury Post print.