Gussie Gronquist
With SGA elections right around the corner, we also approach the time to say farewell to the current SGA President, Augusta “Gussie” Gronquist. Gussie answered a few questions about her time at Smith, her work with the student government, and her hopes for the future of the SGA.
House: Emerson
Major: Philosophy
Hometown: London, England
Plans for after graduation?
I’m moving to New York with a friend from Smith.
What made you come to Smith?
The legacy of amazing alumnae, the great resources, and the amazing sense of community.
What made you want to get involved in Student Government?
I wanted to get involved my first year with an issue-based organization. Senate seats were traditionally given to first years in my house, so I thought that would be a good way to go. To be honest, I didn’t really know anything about SGA when I was a first year, let alone have aspirations to run the org.
What’s your proudest accomplishment as SGA President?
My proudest accomplishment as SGA President has been beginning serious dialog about the direction of the SGA, where it is now, and how we can make it better. I sincerely hope that all of the work we did this year—conversations about restructuring, conversations with specific groups on campus—will make moving forward next year a lot easier. I’m proud to say that we’ve begun to change the way people think about and interact with the SGA, allowing students to expect more from us.
What would be your advice to your successor as SGA president?
Don’t try to do everything—it will really burn you out. Being an active SGA president is exhausting, especially when you want to enjoy your senior year. The job is really rewarding, however, when you see projects come to completion, or when you see others get excited and interested in SGA.
What’s your favorite memory from your time at Smith?
It’s a toss up between the snow day we had first year, mountain day of this year, and rally day of this year. Each time I was surrounded by my wonderful friends, playing and being silly. And, of course, classes were cancelled—coincidence? I will always think about how lucky I am to have found such great people over my time at Smith— a huge shout out to my fellow EFO seniors, JYA Florence humans, and the awesome network of kind, beautiful friends I’ve made here.