By Ramon Flores
For students who want to be involved, Student Government Association (SGA) is a great way to contribute. SGA is the voice of the students here at Arizona Western College and helps make decisions to benefit current or future students. Advisor Shara Roberts and Co-Advisor Brenda Velarde run the organization.
SGA has regular activities on and off campus involving the student body, faculty and community. In January, SGA drew an audience of more than 100 to a screening of the popular animated movie Big Hero 6, where snacks and soft drinks were sold. The more than $500 that has been raised this at this and other events will be given as a scholarship to the student club that makes the best video at the end of the spring 2015 semester.
Another regular activity is the National Collegiate Leadership Conference (NCLC), which SGA and other AWC organizations attend annually on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson to sharpen their skills in the area of leadership.
In March, SGA hosted What a Wonderful World (WAWW), a talent show promoting the variety of cultures at AWC. Students and staff auditioned to perform, and food was provided for those who attend. At the end of the talent show everyone got together to sing "The Circle of Life."
Every semester SGA holds a mixer where all the AWC clubs get together and do activities that create a stronger bond between all the members. At the spring mixer, SGA announces the newly elected SGA officers.
A candidate for office must be a full-time student with a GPA of 2.5 or higher and must pick up an application at Campus Life. The positions are student body President, VP of Development, VP of Records, VP of Finance, VP of Programming, VP of Public Relations and VP of South Yuma County. To run for VP of Community Service or Sustainability, applicants go through an interview process at the beginning of the fall semester.
To join SGA, interested students should attend meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 in the Francis Morris Board Room and expect to help out during planed events. Everyone is welcome.
Photo by Pam Black
