Have You Heard About SGA?
by: Grace Mastroianni
Democracy, what a wonderful thing to have! The Student Government Association at BSU, fondly referred to as SGA, is the place to go for all of your student needs. You’ve probably heard of them, maybe gone to some of their events, or maybe even walked by their office in the RCC. SGA is a student group who dedicate their time and resources to making the campus a better place for all of its students. These people are the backbone of Bridgewater; with their assistance, many clubs flourish and many events are planned for student involvement and enjoyment.
Julia Levine, a junior here at BSU and the Senate Chair of SGA, was kind enough to meet with me and explain some of her responsibilities and give some information on the inner workings of SGA. Her main duties consist of running meetings and managing the agenda. She is also in charge of running the elections, although not many people are aware of that.
If you’re a freshman like me, it’s possible that this is the first you’re hearing of SGA, and you’re definitely not alone in this. But this does not mean in anyway that you shouldn’t join; in fact, it’s quite the opposite!
“Unfortunately, it isn’t very publicized to freshman necessarily, or something that may excite a lot of them because when they see the word ‘government’ they get kind of spooked, like ‘ooo, official stuff,’” Levine explained. “And while, yeah, we are a professional and official organization here on campus, we don’t do a lot of the actual government political stuff. It’s much more about governing the school stuff. We don’t do anything related to the real political world.”
There are a lot of benefits to being in SGA, and many of them help prepare students for entering into the workforce when they graduate. They are granted access to future connections, leadership opportunities, important references, and most importantly, an unforgettable experience. Being in SGA will not only help you grow professionally, but as a person as well.
“It definitely shouldn’t be your number one reason to join, but it is a great resume booster,” Levine said jokingly. “And it’s a great opportunity to get to know more about the school through a different perspective. Students are actually a part of the key decisions that are made. Joining SGA is great and is one of the best opportunities to figure out the ‘behind the scenes’ of what the faculty, staff, and admin do.”
For Julia, one of her favorite aspects of being a part of SGA is the opportunity to dress up for professional meetings and working together with other professionals to improve the school and community. Joining SGA gave her the opportunity to do things that she never would have been able to do otherwise, like visiting the Barry House, which is a very important piece of BSU’s history.
“The first big step if you’re looking to join is just contacting either myself or the president because we are the go-to’s when it comes to either coming to a meeting or just learning about student government. It’s also very important to look on our website to see who your senator is; so if you need help or have any questions you know who to go to” said Levine as a last bit of practical parting wisdom.
This all sounds pretty great, right? Of course it does! And SGA is always looking for new members, people who are dedicated to the student body and our bear community. And the best way to join is… through the Spring Elections! Elections are April 7-9 but the online application is due March 25th by 5:00pm. To learn more about SGA and what it means to be an officer, check out the information session on March 19th from 2-4pm in the RCC. And if you’re not interested in joining SGA, that’s okay! But come election time, remember to vote since you want the person representing you to be someone you trust to do a good job! Also, every 50th voter is awarded 10 flex dollars! What more could you want?
