Members of Saint Mary’s Student Government Association (SGA) spent their summer preparing for the year to come, senior Madeleine Corcoran, student body president, said in an email.
“This summer we have focused on planning orientation, Big Belle Little Belle, technology and transportation,” Corcoran said. “Orientation and [Big Belle Little Belle] start right away and both required some changes for this year, so it was important for those programs to be ready before getting back to campus.”
While technology and transportation do not have the urgency of the beginning of the year programming, the areas needed more time due to the magnitude of the changes, Corcoran said.
“Technology and transportation are two major changes we are trying to make, so we knew it was important to start on that as soon as possible,” Corcoran said.
Corcoran said she and senior Kathy Ogden, student body vice president, began preparations for this school year before the end of the previous academic year.
“Change takes time, especially when so many logistics are involved,” Corcoran said. “We started planning last spring and this summer in order to be well-prepared and accomplish our goals.”
The aspects of their platform that the two began working on in the spring include plans for technology, transportation, food and campus ministry.
“In the spring, we started the conversation with many administrators regarding our platform,” Corcoran said. “They have all continued to help and support us throughout this summer.”
In the short-term, Corcoran said she looks forward to the addition of the incoming students to the Saint Mary’s community, while her long-term sights are set on expanding the SGA presence on campus.
“Right now, I am most excited to meet the new class of first-year students,” Corcoran said. “Once they arrive on campus, I feel our community will once again be filled. Throughout the year, I am most looking forward to establishing a strong role for SGA and knowledge of what resources SGA provides.”
Corcoran said she and Ogden plan to do their best to complete their platform this year, to fulfill the wishes of the students that elected them.
“Our goals are mostly focused on our platform for this year,” Corcoran said. “New things will come up and our goals will change, but Belles voted for us based on our platform and we don't want to let them down. We did not want to have a lot of promises we couldn't fulfill.”
Corcoran and Ogden are eager to see the innovation spurred by the members of SGA this year, she said.
“We are so excited for a great year of SGA at [Saint Mary’s],” Corcoran said. “We have some amazing Belles as SGA executives and committee chairs. I am really looking forward to seeing their fresh, new ideas come to fruition.”
