How Student Government Association Found Me

Before even setting foot at Barnard in late August of last summer, I knew I wanted to become involved on campus immediately. In high school, I made the mistake of waiting until my junior year to really get engaged in extracurricular activities. I realized during my senior year, when I was on the executive board of the National Honor Society, that I really liked having a leadership role, which allowed me to discover my potential to have an impact on the student body. This was one of the most memorable aspects of my senior year and I really want to have the opportunity of engaging in campus life from the very beginning in college. So, I found myself looking through every inch of Barnard’s Student Life website and reading the description of every club. However, I had no idea which club to start with.

I got the answer to my question during New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) when I found myself in the wrong place at the right time, and that made all the difference. NSOP, in the simplest terms, can be described as the week before classes when the first-years attend various events, meet many new faces, and learn as much about Barnard and Columbia as possible. It helps you get adjusted in the new environment and meet many people.

My campaign poster!

Now, to my point. I was one of those people who thought you had to attend every event on the NSOP schedule (some events are mandatory, others are optional). That being said, I was very confused when I noticed that I was the only residential student at a commuter students’ event. However, had I never gone to that event, I would have never have met the Vice President of Student Government Association (SGA), who convinced me to run for a position on the first-year class council. I ran for Vice President and won, and now I cannot imagine my first year without being a part of SGA.

Being the first-year class VP has definitely been an incredible honor and invaluable learning experience. I have developed leadership skills from working with different types of people and undertaking large responsibilities, such as planning an event with a budget, advertising an event, and contacting important administrators. I have grown as a leader and made everlasting friendships with other representatives of SGA. I have learned so much from others who inspire me in unbelievable ways. For me, SGA is not just a space-filler on my resume, but it is an honorable opportunity to make Barnard a place which students can call their home and to become a voice for my fellow students.

You might feel like you don’t have to have a game plan for which clubs to join, or which leadership roles to undertake. Trust me, it all falls into place, just like you will know if Barnard is the right place for you within the coming weeks. I am so glad that SGA found me.

Sarah

With other members of SGA