As a junior in the BSW program and a rising senior political science major, Lenyx Coviak is no stranger to balancing big goals with meaningful action. Now they’re taking on a new leadership role as the College of Social Work’s representative in USC’s Student Government Senate - an organization that advocates for students and works closely with university leadership on key issues.

Originally from Asheville and now living in South Carolina’s upstate, Coviak is a 2025 recipient of an SC Dept. of Social Services scholarship dedicated to children and families. They’re focused on a future in child welfare with a long-term goal of shaping policy to better support foster care and at-risk youth. That blend of passion and policy is what led Coviak to run for Senate, especially after learning that the College of Social Work hadn’t had student representation for about two years.

“I wanted to make sure our college's voice was heard, as we do a lot of good work and also need assistance every now and again from organizations like Student Government to continue doing that work,” Coviak says. “It’s important to me that students feel seen and that there’s transparency in how our university functions.”

Coviak also sees this as a valuable step toward a future in macro-level and political social work.

“I thought this would be a great learning experience to help develop the skills I’ll need later on in a somewhat lower-stakes environment where I can grow and make an impact at the same time.”

As senator, Coviak is excited to strengthen connections between COSW and student government and will encourage more students to get involved. Both Coviak and sophomore Victoria Ashmore have begun their terms for 2025-2026 and will contribute to the Student Senate initiatives including Carolina Closet, Swipe Out Hunger and assisting with student transportation off campus.