2008 Woodie Awards
What a year it's been for SGA and the community
Mike Zwolinski '08 - SGA President
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Commentary
My fellow Wheatonians, spring is here again. When we started this year, we had only seven senators and an unseasoned Executive Board. But we did things differently this year by giving students more say in setting our deliverables agenda.We led from the middle. We didn't scream or shout. And we worked with the administration, not against it. We showed that SGA matters, that we're a forum for the most important conversations on campus, and that major change is not out of students' reach. We've been one of the most successful SGAs in memory.
First, renovations to the Café will begin this summer. These renovations, pushed for and planned entirely by SGA, will extend the Café's hours and transform it into a comfortable and useful student space. Second, new financial advising programs are set to start next year. Working with SFS, we've pushed for new advising at all levels of financial management. Third, we've been working with Student Life on new ways to compensate students living in forced triples and lounges. We'll have an improved housing process for next spring. Fourth, collaboration with the Kollett Center has brought renewed focus to graduate school advising. New informational and advising programs are set to begin. SGA will continue to push for graduate school test preparation programs here on campus. Fifth, renovations of the Club and Intramural Sports field will begin over the summer. Working with the administration, trustees, sports teams, and alumnae/i, we've pushed the college to address this major and often forgotten shortcoming of student life. Sixth, to improve campus safety, we've worked with the college to add more and better lighting to dark and high risk areas of campus. And finally, we hosted some of the best Candlelight Ceremonies the Chapel has ever seen. We actually heard the ghost stories! Not to mention that we had record turnout for this spring's elections. At institutions like Wheaton, change happens slowly - piece by piece, and never overnight. That's what makes SGA's successes this year so impressive, and I'm confident that our new tradition of activism and success will continue next year. As I close both this article and my time at Wheaton, I want to thank you for allowing me to serve. I may not have been the smartest or the tallest President, but you won't find anyone who had more fun doing the job than I. I'm grateful for the opportunity. Finally, to every member of SGA - from Senate, to all the Class Councils, to the Executive Board -thank you for your work this year. You've all served and sacrificed selflessly, and you have become far more than the sum of your parts. Wheaton is a much better place for it.
Thank you.
First, renovations to the Café will begin this summer. These renovations, pushed for and planned entirely by SGA, will extend the Café's hours and transform it into a comfortable and useful student space. Second, new financial advising programs are set to start next year. Working with SFS, we've pushed for new advising at all levels of financial management. Third, we've been working with Student Life on new ways to compensate students living in forced triples and lounges. We'll have an improved housing process for next spring. Fourth, collaboration with the Kollett Center has brought renewed focus to graduate school advising. New informational and advising programs are set to begin. SGA will continue to push for graduate school test preparation programs here on campus. Fifth, renovations of the Club and Intramural Sports field will begin over the summer. Working with the administration, trustees, sports teams, and alumnae/i, we've pushed the college to address this major and often forgotten shortcoming of student life. Sixth, to improve campus safety, we've worked with the college to add more and better lighting to dark and high risk areas of campus. And finally, we hosted some of the best Candlelight Ceremonies the Chapel has ever seen. We actually heard the ghost stories! Not to mention that we had record turnout for this spring's elections. At institutions like Wheaton, change happens slowly - piece by piece, and never overnight. That's what makes SGA's successes this year so impressive, and I'm confident that our new tradition of activism and success will continue next year. As I close both this article and my time at Wheaton, I want to thank you for allowing me to serve. I may not have been the smartest or the tallest President, but you won't find anyone who had more fun doing the job than I. I'm grateful for the opportunity. Finally, to every member of SGA - from Senate, to all the Class Councils, to the Executive Board -thank you for your work this year. You've all served and sacrificed selflessly, and you have become far more than the sum of your parts. Wheaton is a much better place for it.
Thank you.
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