At just 20 years old, Aubrey Stepanik is already shaping student life at Ashland University in powerful ways. A junior studying Business Management with a Psychology minor, Aubrey was elected Student Body President this past spring and has already begun implementing changes that make a difference for her peers.
A proud member of Delta Zeta’s Theta Psi Chapter, Aubrey recently served as Vice President of Risk Management and DEI Chair. She also brings a wide range of campus experience through her work on the Orientation Team, as a Summer Resident Assistant, and as a Research Intern for the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
When reflecting on her election campaign, Aubrey is quick to credit the fraternity and sorority community for its support. “Absolutely. As a Delta Zeta and Phi Delta Theta lavalier, we had two wonderful chapters rooting for us, and supporting us throughout the campaign season. Not only that, but the entire FSL community rallied in our favor, as my current VP is an Alpha Phi on campus! Being in FSL is more than being a member of DZ, but being a member of a community—seven different chapters at AU—of young men and women who have your back, no matter what.”
That spirit of community extends into Aubrey’s leadership style. She sees her role as an open line of communication between students and administrators. Early in her term, Aubrey and Vice President Emilee Fletcher (an Alpha Phi) secured office space in the heart of the student center for regular office hours and successfully advocated for digital swipe access into dorm halls—an upgrade modeled after larger universities like Ohio State and Kent State.
Looking ahead, Aubrey hopes to take her leadership skills into a career in Human Resources or Operational Analytics. “My main goal is to take my leadership experience into the business world, and use my passion for kindness and acceptance to lift others up. Being a positive light is something I’ve always strived to be, and I’d like to take that into my professional life.”
Aubrey also wants students to know that leadership isn’t about politics—it’s about advocacy. “Student Government doesn’t always have to mean you’re strong in politics one way or another, but instead, that you’ll advocate for any person, any group, at any point in time. It’s okay to say you don’t have the answer right away, but the important piece is to follow up, to find an answer, and to show them you truly care.”
With her drive to serve, support, and uplift those around her, Aubrey is setting an example of the kind of servant leadership that fraternity and sorority life fosters every day.
