Q: What year are you?
A: Junior
Q: What’s your major?
A: Strategic Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations
Q: How long have you been a member of SGA?
A: I joined SGA as a sophomore when I was a part of the internship program serving under the Director of Communications. Last spring I ran for the Student Senate with The Forward Ticket. Just last week I ran for re-election with the Let’s Talk Ticket and now hold the position of Student Body Vice President!
Q: For anyone who doesn’t know, what is SGA and what does it do?
A: I see Student Government as an organization that champions for students and makes the changes students want to see implemented on our campus. I think that in a way all students of WVU are a part of SGA, but the members of the organization can act as liaisons between the student body and administration.
Q: What’s the best experience you’ve had with SGA?
A: I have had many rewarding experiences being a part of SGA, but I think one of the instances that stands out to me in particular was when we traveled to southern West Virginia this summer for our annual SGA retreat to kickoff the school year. As most people know, West Virginia experienced a devastating flood this past summer leaving many citizen’s homes completely demolished. Some students of SGA started flood relief immediately, which is a prime example of what “Mountaineers Go First” really means. It was such a rewarding and humbling experience. I never realized how big of an impact West Virginia University has on the state. Our student government truly does have the ability to not only shape the university, but also shape the entire state of West Virginia. When West Virginia University is strong, West Virginia is strong!
Q: What is a piece of advice you’d give to an incoming freshman?
A: Get acclimated! I can honestly say that I have made so many genuine friends at this institution and I found a lot of them in the organizations I am involved in, in particular in Alpha Phi and SGA. I think it is really important for freshman students to find others like them who can make WVU their home away from home, and the best way to do that is by checking out all the different clubs we offer. We have a student organization for pretty much anything you can think of, which is one of my favorite things about WVU.
A: What do you plan on doing differently with SGA now that you are elected Vice President?
Q: The main thing that Blake and I want to do is maintain open communication with the students. We want to hear everyone’s stories and have them join the conversation. At the end of the day, it isn’t all about what the President, Vice President, Student Senate, or College Reps want to do on campus, it’s about what the students want us to do on campus. We have started having round-table discussions last week and will continue to do so throughout our term. Blake and I will be holding office hours and have an open-door policy so students can come to us and talk about whatever they want.