By Stephanie Gotschall
Virginia Wesleyan’s Student Government Association (SGA) is an organization that, while overseen and advised by the Dean of Students Keith Moore, is strictly student-run. It was implemented as something that the students of the college could go to in order to have their voices heard when it comes to just about anything, along with giving new ideas in order to keep the campus community strong and tight-knit.
Aside from hearing student’s opinions and concerns, SGA has also been responsible for putting together campus-wide events such as the Homecoming parade and dance, senior week and the “VWC Pub-N-Club.”
Since the organization is centered around the thoughts and opinions of VWC students, every year they get to elect the people they feel would be well-suited to be a part of SGA. The positions in SGA include: the president, a vice president and four senators who represent the student body for each class. For the 2015-16 term, senior Cassandra McEwan will serve as the organization’s President and senior Jeanice Reed will serve as her vice president. The senior SGA senators are Sherice Greene, Keith Savage II, Jessica Seymour and Isis Percell. The junior senators are Rebecca Gray, Erik Estrada and Georgia Walker. Those representing the sophomore class will be Nicholas Hipple, Alexis Green, Michael McOsker and Tori Pugh. In order to gain a spot in SGA, you have to express your desire to be a part of the organization to those that are currently serving in SGA along with the rest of the campus community. Additionally, you have to express your wants, hopes and needs that will improve the campus as a whole.
Sherice Greene said that during her time in SGA, she really just wanted to be able to represent the senior class in the best way she possibly could, meaning that she would do whatever she had to do. Greene’s attitude about representing her class is shared among all of the other members in SGA, as they all hope to bring fresh and helpful ideas to the table in the upcoming term.
The class of 2019 will be represented by their own classmates as well! Just like all of the other senators, those chosen to represent the freshman class will be freshmen. After about a month of settling in and becoming accustomed to VWC and the college
life, freshmen will be given the chance to make a campaign for themselves and run for freshman senator.
Running for SGA senator to represent the class of 2019 works almost the same as the normal SGA election in the sense that there will be an open election and the entire student body of VWC will be able to vote. However, it is different in that this will be the only election that is held for SGA as freshman class senators will be selected during the fall semester and will serve as the senator for their student body through May. Sometime in April, SGA will have an election for the upcoming year where current senators have the option to run again for their position and anyone else that wants to participate can run as well. The decision is again left up to the student body who will vote for who they think best suits the position.
Although being a representative in SGA gives students the opportunity to make the campus a better place for themselves and their fellow classmates, it also has one other perk that should be considered if you want to become part of the organization. SGA is one of many cool ways to get involved on our campus. Being part of an organization ran by students for students, is a great way to have your voice heard.
