By Cassy Sottile
News Editor
The Student Government Association has a new face among its staff.
Sophomore Tegan McBride was hired as the Director of Communications and Marketing (DCOM) at the end of the fall semester, succeeding sophomore Sarah Collins in the position. While she did not serve in student government her freshman year, McBride was involved in her high school student government during her senior year.
“I wanted to be involved with voicing the student’s concerns,” McBride said. “The position in particular interested me because of my experience as Vice President of Business of WACappella, a sales associate at Staples, and as a social media intern for Massoni Art.”
As DCOM, McBride primarily interacts with other members of the SGA executive board, as well as various student groups on campus. She is responsible for running all SGA social media accounts, promoting SGA events, organizing the office, attending executive board meetings, taking Senate minutes, overseeing SGA communications, responding to club printing requests, and assisting with any clerical duties, according to SGA President and senior Nick Gottemoller.
With McBride being hired late, there are only six weeks remaining of her term.
“This semester is really divided into two parts. For the next five or so weeks, we will be working hard to accomplish our goals and finish out our terms,” Gottemoller said. “Everyone has different things that they want to get done before we start transitioning over to the next administration.”
McBride hopes to work with the SGA to help make major changes during these last few weeks of her term.
“I enjoy being able to participate in the larger decisions being made for the students,” McBride said.
One of McBride’s personal goals for the duration of her tenure is to sort through the bins and cabinets in the SGA office to ensure all items are easily identifiable by the other members of the executive board.
The second part of the semester for the SGA focuses on elections and transitions.
“While this is an exciting time in which new people have the opportunity to step into leadership positions to make their mark on the College, it is also a time when business slows down. Our goal is to attend to business prior to transition,” Gottemoller said.
McBride believes the SGA provides a path for students to voice their concerns and to have a say in the major decisions regarding campus life.
“Although only for half a term, being in the SGA has taught me several valuable career and life skills, and has allowed me to become friends with some of the most inspiring and bold students on campus,” McBride said.
McBride is considering her continued involvement in the SGA next semester in some capacity. “For me, the SGA has been a way to be involved in the school’s decisions. [President] Landgraf takes our concerns deeply, and always tries his best to address the concerns in the way that will be most beneficial for the students,” McBride said. “We become leaders of the community and stand for the students.”