It’s almost election season in the WVU community. Jason Bailey, who ran for Board of Governors and won last year, announced his decision to run for Student Body President. Make sure to read our interview with him to see why he decided to run and his advice for students who are looking to get involved!
Name: Jason Bailey
Age: 21
Hometown: Ripley, WV
What first got you interested in running for Board of Governors?: “I had learned a lot about Student Government during my first three years at WVU by attending meetings and through friends of mine who were already involved. I began to become concerned with a number of issues on campus, particularly that status of student organizations. Why my previous leadership experience, involvement in other organizations, and drive to find solutions for many student issues, I knew I had what it took to run for office and ultimately accomplish my goals.”
What do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment as a Board of Governor thus far?: “Although I would put a number of things on a list of accomplishments since becoming Governor, I feel my single biggest accomplishment has been the creation of Student Organizations Presidents’ Advisory Council (SOPAC). This serves as a way for every student organization president on campus to come together to learn what WVU’s Student Organizations Services, SGA, and other agencies and departments on campus have to offer them. I want every organization to be on the same page as to what resources are available to them at WVU, and I hope it will bridge the communication gap between leaders and other students on campus. It also serves as an open forum for presidents to discuss and get advice from each other about issues like recruitment, retention, fund raising, publicity, etc. SOPAC has met a couple of times this year already, has hosted many guests from the University including WVU President Jim Clements, and has had representatives from approximately 150 student organizations.”
What has inspired you to make the leap from Board of Governors to SGA Presidential Candidate?: “I came to WVU on a full academic scholarship, and with that, the University has presented me with many incredible opportunities over the past few years. I was originally planning on going to law school next year, but I wanted to find a way to give back to the University and the student body that has given me so much. I felt like staying an extra year and running for President was the perfect way to give back to the students. By the experience I have had inside and outside of SGA and in many other areas of campus, I feel like I have the unique opportunity to represent an extremely large constituency of students. With my previous experience, good relationships with administrators, and innovative ideas to better the state of the student body, I believe I can play a crucial role in developing solutions for some of the hottest student issues while taking SGA to the next level and setting a high bar for other university student governments across the country.”
What advice would you give to a student looking to one day run for Board of Governors or SGA President?: “For any student looking to one day run for an office within SGA, my first piece of advice is to get involved early. Start coming to our meetings to understand how meetings are run, what WVU’s student government is all about, and what student problems we are currently striving to alleviate. Secondly, never be shy. Get out there and meet anyone and everyone you can. You never know which students you talk to have issues you would never hear about otherwise or who one day will be your biggest supporter. Lastly, be passionate. Become knowledgeable about the issues and learn as much about them as you can. You cannot begin to devise a solution until you fully understand the problem inside and out. Find something you care deeply about or that affects you directly. That is where you will be able to get the most accomplished. I am more than happy to get as many students involved as possible; besides, it is the students’ government after all.”