The Student Government Association (SGA) of Georgia Southern University has served as a middleman for the administration, faculty and students.

Despite such a crucial job in the student community, students are unaware of the duties and jobs of SGA members. In fact, each college on campus has specialized senators to represent concerns from their designated departments.

Elijah Brown, senior accounting major, and Michael Harris, sophomore marketing major, both enjoy representing the College of Business Administration as SGA senators.

“I really enjoy my job serving my peers. After all, that is the reason I joined Student Government. The executives and senators alike work together to make Georgia Southern a better place for all students,” Harris said. “It makes me happy knowing that I am taking active steps towards serving students and I know everyone in SGA can say the same.”

How to become a senator

“In the spring, they have open elections, so anyone on campus who fits the requirements can campaign to be a senator, and that basically gives you the guidelines on how to become a senator, when to campaign,” Harris said. “Those usually take place the week after spring break ends. Then we have an interview process to fill the remaining seats on the college.”

The only requirement to become an SGA member is a 2.5 or above. Once you are elected, you are sorted into a college based on your major.

Making change on campus

Service has always been a top priority for SGA. For Brown, being part of SGA allowed him to do that.

“I knew I wanted to help make a change on my campus,” Brown said. “By joining Senate, I have that opportunity to that more than any other club on campus.”

Brown said other clubs make a change on campus, just not as much as SGA. Harris also echoed this mission to serve.

“The service part really gets me, because I am a person who loves to help people. Also, I wanted to get involved more, and I felt how more to get involved more than joining one of the top organizations on campus,” Harris said.

Brown encourages any student who wants to make a change on campus to run for office so that they can help make a change in the community. Harris also recommends anyone who wants to make a change to get in contact with SGA so they can guide you along the path to do so.

If students are interested in running for student government, they will have to wait until the spring election cycle, but they are welcome to attend Senate meetings every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Russell Union Ballroom. Every meeting gives students the chance to voice their opinions.