Sara Hubaishi is a senior here at Brenau University and is the SGA President and Honor Court Chair. I recently got a chance to sit down with her and discuss her involvement with Brenau as well as other interesting topics.
Q: Why did you choose to come to Brenau?
A: Well, the really story is that I got wait listed to Georgetown and this was the closest school to my house that I applied to. When I first came to Brenau, I was only going to stay for a semester and then leave. But when I actually came on campus, I kinda fell in love with it, so I decided to stay.
Q: How have you involved yourself within Brenau’s tight-knit community?
A: When I came to Brenau, I was Freshman Class President, and then I got on the Executive Board because someone had dropped out and I was the only one who had applied. I became an RA, I joined Honor Court, and I help out with the Elixir and the Aurum, but it was basically SGA that encouraged me to become involved at Brenau. I do want everyone to know to get involved in what you want to be involved in and don’t be afraid to join a club you wouldn’t normally want to join. I understand that sometimes it’s really intimidating when the same people are involved in the same things. Don’t think that you can’t do something just because other people are in it. Don’t be like “Oh, I’m not going to run for that because we all know who is going to win.” Don’t have that attitude, because I have seen a lot of people win things that have changed them and that could be the one thing that can help you grow.
Q: What is your ethnic/cultural background?
A: I am originally from Canada. I moved down to Georgia during my junior year of high school. I went to four different high schools before I graduated. I went to two different ones in Canada and then two different ones in Georgia. I am also a Muslim. My whole family is Muslim. We are originally Arab-East African so I am a first generation American-born. My dad has citizenship in America, my mom has citizenship in Canada, and I have both because I was born in Canada.
Q: Did you encounter any conflicts with your religion coming here to Brenau?
A: My original freshman roommate and I met at Early Registration in June and decided that we would room together. We hit it off – I was gonna bring the TV and she was gonna bring the fridge – it was really official. We signed up to be roommates, but we hadn’t moved in yet. She met my mom, who wears a hijab. When you see me, you wouldn’t think I’m a Muslim, but when you see my parents, it’s really evident. A week later, she texted me and said that she didn’t think we should be roommates anymore. I was really lucky to be able to find another roommate, Emily Burgess, and now we’re best friends.
Q: Is there anything that you would like the entire campus to know, either about yourself or about one of the organizations you lead?
A: I can think of a few things. Don’t be afraid to come to Senate and voice your concerns or comments about something here at Brenau. Everyone is a part of SGA. Every single Women’s College Student is a part of SGA. For anyone who gets apprehensive or upset about things that the Student Government decides or passes or even talks about, I just want everyone to know that there is a lot happening in the background that they don’t know about. If you want your concerns to be known, come to Senate and talk to us about your complaints. I understand that some people get upset by what SGA does, but I do encourage you to come to Senate every Thursday at 12:45 in the Senior Dining Hall. We would really like to hear any concerns or complaints you may have. If you don’t have the time to stop by, send an email to our SGA email and we can get them addressed.