By Aaron Mason
Staff Writer

In 2018, Brookhaven College will be 40 years old. As Brookhaven continues to age, the surrounding area continues to change, drastically. The vast changes that are to come could potentially be for the betterment of Brookhaven and surrounding communities.
On Nov. 20, Brookhaven president Dr. Thom Chesney will be hosting Visioning 2018 in the H Building, Room H125, at noon. “How often do you get to think very big, very bold and put it right into the face of the president and the leadership of the college? You don’t get this at UT Austin. It is rare that a student gets this opportunity, and I am going to have very little to say. I want to hear from the students,” Chesney said.
Chesney is calling on students to come to the forum. He said he wants to hear from the student body what can be done to reach out to the surrounding communities to help protect and reiterate Brookhaven’s importance, not only as a symbol of higher education, but as a place where people shape their futures with the necessary and tangible skills to succeed.  Chesney said, “It’s a chance for the students of today to feel like they are shaping their legacy for future students of tomorrow.”
Brookhaven student body president Tonychris Nnaka said: “This is a great idea to me. We get to have a one-on-one meeting to share our dreams about the school to the school president.”
“I strongly encourage the students to come out and participate,” Nnaka said. “It’s Visioning 2018. It’s a valuable opportunity for all students.”
Student input and participation is heavily needed, and Chesney said, “What would you like to accomplish with this? Great ideas come from vision, and to get those great ideas, you must create awareness.”