For two years I have had the privilege to be the Undergraduate Student Body President. It has completely shaped the way I think about the University of Massachusetts Boston and my experience here; it has tied me to this community, which is something I wouldn’t change for the world. Being the Student Body President is not an easy or boring job. Although I was only required to spend 10 hours a week working on projects, meetings and other work I may have had, I would say I have probably spent at least 15 hours a week doing what I needed to do.
My main priority was to advocate for students, and I had to make sure that their concerns were addressed and that they were satisfied with student life here at UMass Boston. I spent a lot of time communicating with senior administration to make sure that these concerns were heard and acted upon. For example, last spring I was very vocal about UMass Amherst’s acquisition of Mount Ida College. It was not because of my personal views of the purchase but because so many students shared their concerns with me or the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) leadership, which made me realize that students’ voices needed to be heard about this issue. I have also sat on committees for different departments and projects around campus to give student input to make sure that the student voice was being heard in almost every decision on this campus. I met with administrators regularly to update them on student life, the work of the USG, and anything I heard that they would need to address.
For anyone that is interested in running for Student Body President, I would like to give you three pieces of advice, things I should have done better. Firstly, get your name out there any way possible. Make sure that students know you exist and that you are someone that they can go to. Secondly, communicate with students involved in clubs, organizations, and other student leadership programs. These are students that are also super involved, but they have more eyes on the ground than you may have. Use their experiences and their concerns to help figure out what you would like to work on during your term. Lastly, get the USG out doing what it is meant to do. You will be the chief executive officer of this organization that every student should know but a lot of students don’t. Get the name out there, and make sure that advocating for students and student life is the top priority for every student involved in the USG. Again, this role is not easy or boring, but if you are up for the challenge and want to promote positive change, run for Student Body President.