The commencement of a new semester brings an abundance of opportunities to expand your knowledge, build new relationships and discover your passion through a variety of experiences here at Richland.
One highly rewarding opportunity that is available to any student on campus is participation in the Student Government Association. The SGA is an organization coordinated almost entirely by the student body and serves to represent and express the various expectations and concerns of Richland students to a larger audience. It provides members with valuable experience in public interaction and involvement of a general assembly. Richland SGA Senator Kent Ho said that he acquired great experiences and values during his time in SGA and encouraged students interested in joining the Association to do so.
“We get to learn more about leadership and community outreach,” said Ho. “It’s not just about joining the organization for the sake of joining, but also to learn about giving back to the students what they need and giving back to the community what is needed.”
The SGA plays a powerful role in preparing students for their future professional successes by providing its members with real-world skills that are highly in demand in every field in the market.
“We want to welcome everybody, and we also want to teach people about how to be an effective leader. If you’re in a business or in any other sector, you need to demonstrate leadership when it comes to doing that,” Ho said. The committee structure of the organization also teaches students to cooperate with others and learn how to negotiate and compromise in matters of disagreement.
Ho said SGA not only helped him develop professional skills, but that he experienced personal growth as well.
“I went from being a person who was always within his shell a lot to now being completely open and here and doing all our volunteering. Usually, every time I heard about these events, I wouldn’t go to volunteer for them. Now, I have more opportunities and I get to do a lot more, and I like that a lot.”
Ultimately, Richland’s Student Government Association is only one of the many relentlessly rewarding clubs and programs available for students on campus. SGA hosts executive board meetings every Monday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in El Paso Room E032 and hosts senate and assembly meetings on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month in Sabine Room SH117. Interested students are invited to stop by the Office of Student Life and Engagement (E040) for more information.
