By Logan Monteleone
Elm Staff Writer
On Thursday Feb. 15, the Student Government Association sent out an email announcing the opening of SGA President and Vice President positions. The email includes petitions for the roles and the Executive Board By-Laws. A series of events including a debate and mandatory meetings will occur between now and Election Voting on Tuesday, March 5 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
SGA executive positions are held in year-long terms which begin and end in March of the spring semester. Executives can hold office for more than one term if re-elected.
At the SGA’s weekly senatorial meeting on Tuesday evening, Feb. 19, various exec members provided personal insight, reflections on their time in office, and for those who are graduating, hopes for the future executives.
SGA President junior Miranda Parrish recognizes the room for improvement within the SGA, but overall looks with positivity on her term and feels optimistic about the SGA’s future.
“There are definitely pieces where we can improve upon, and I hope that the next board can continue to provide the best student experience possible and support clubs and organizations in the ways that best fit them,” Parrish said.
“I loved being the president this last year,” Parrish said. “I felt that I was able to accomplish a lot of goals that I put forth, and I’m really proud of our work as a whole SGA.”
SGA Vice President senior Nicole Chimezie shares in the overall positivity about the past year as an executive. Chimezie was the Financial Controller in her sophomore year and has been active in SGA since. She is excited to see new leaders step forward into roles that will have elections without incumbents as current leaders graduate.
As vice president, Chimezie found herself focusing more on macro-matters related to club organization than personal involvement with individual clubs.
“I plan a lot of events, but I want to see more…networking, or more in-person meetings, just to see how we can support clubs in attendance and advertisements and in other more micro-ways,” Chimezie said. “Reflecting on my time here, I’m very excited with all of the events I was able to plan.”
As head of the Organizations Committee, she mentioned her involvement with planning club fairs, expanding Hodson, and organizing a club leader’s workshop.
“I’m hoping that the future vice president will really buckle in and support clubs where they are,” Chimezie said.
SGA’s Director of Communications and Marketing senior Kamden Richardson has been on the executive board the past three years, the first two of which she served as Secretary of Student Life.
As an aspiring teacher, Richardson believes that the experience she gained from working with peers and the relationships she built with administrators will help her as she prepares to enter the workplace.
“Getting the chance to work not only with a bunch of students but work with a bunch of the administration, I’ve made really good friends…It genuinely has been one of the coolest things that I have done on campus,” Richardson said. “It’s such a chance to make an impact, and I really encourage anyone, if they’re even remotely interested, to just go for it.”
Secretary of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sophomore Lillian Shimon wants to highlight the importance of using the full title of her position, which is often referred to just as Secretary of Diversity.
“I really want to emphasize the full DEI because it’s about promoting inclusivity and making an environment of equity for everyone, so I’ve been working really hard on that,” Shimon said.
Shimon is looking forward to an upcoming event her committee has been planning, a Women’s History month slumber party.
“This is one of my favorite parts of my job, because I get to do something that is fun and throw an event for people to have fun,” Shimon said.
Shimon said they also love working with affinities and collaborating with other groups on campus.
Shimon explained that becoming DEI secretary without sufficient training has made the position difficult; she expressed her gratitude for the help of Student Affairs DEIB Wellness consultant Obella Obbo.
“I’m not sure if I’m running again next year, but from future me or for the future person, I would want them to know that this job is really, really hard,” Shimon said.
Students are encouraged to participate in the upcoming election, to contact Parrish and Chimezie with questions about their roles, and to contact Parliamentarian sophomore Kyran Balin-Brooks for more information on the election process.