Above: President and vice president elect Anna May and Jack Day. Photo courtesy of Kennady Sparks.
SAU just named their Student Government Association (SGA) president, Anna May, and vice president, Jack Day, for the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
“There’s so much we can do, this is gonna be so great!” says President May. Vice President Day confirms, “It’s a really unique and cool opportunity. We’re very grateful that the student body chose us.”
President Anna May, psychology major, joined SGA in August 2023 as a sophomore class senator and member of the associate relations committee. Vice President Jack Day, exercise science major, joined in August 2022 as a freshman class senator and freshman class president. This year he continued his role as a sophomore class senator, class president, and added the position of Director of Government Operations.
They ran on the same ticket because they share a passion for service. “I feel so called to service. I want to be an advocate for anyone who needs it. I want to serve people and be there for them, that’s something I’ve always had a passion for,” says President May.
Vice President Day adds, “That’s why I ran with her. That’s a quality I recognize in her and I think other people do too and that’s why they voted.” He also ensures, “We’re not gonna just sit at the top and point fingers. We’re going to get our hands dirty. You can bet that I’ll be right there alongside my fellow SGA members through it all.”
He says they already have an extensive list of issues they would like to address which includes student common areas (both indoor and outdoor), the switch to wooden utensils in the Rogalski Center food court, and the parking situation. “We want to enhance the everyday student experience.”
“We want to look into these issues and see if there’s anything, even minor, that we can do to make it a little bit better. Or at least understand why the current policies are in place and help explain that to students,” says President May.
The primary goal of SGA is to be a liaison between the student body and administration. Dr. Christopher Waugh, dean of students and secondary advisor to SGA, says that faculty and staff enjoy visiting SGA meetings because they gain valuable feedback from students across a variety of demographics. “They’re an invaluable resource to the university. They help us learn how we can do better.”
“Really, the power lies with the senators and our responsibility is to lead that group and steer the ship and then be a liaison to the administration. Advocacy is the key word in this role,” Vice President Day explains.
“They’re particularly good at identifying solutions to student barriers,” Dean Waugh says. “The easiest thing to do is to point to a problem, but Anna and Jack usually come to the table with 3-4 good ideas. They are problem solvers.”
President May is a big believer in the idea that you can disagree with someone and still respect them. “A big part of what I think of being a leader is showing respect to everyone, despite your history with them or differences in opinion.”
To Vice President Day, one of the most important parts of leadership is “fostering an environment for others to grow in their leadership ability.” He says, “there’s no growth in comfort and there’s no comfort in growth.”
Dean Waugh assures, “[Anna and Jack] have established a lot of trust with the administration and students. I think they’re going to be a great resource next year. I’m looking forward to working with them.”
Hannah Knowles is a staff writer for The Buzz.
Catch Anna May’s interview on a recent edition of SAU Weekly here.
