The Student Government Association elected information security and intelligence junior Jake McGaha to be the director of operations.
Q: What got you involved in SGA?
A: “The big thing that got me involved in student government is my passion for the university. When I came here as a freshman, I didn’t know what I was doing. The one thing I noticed was that the university was here every step of the way for me. I don’t think I would be as successful as I am now if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m attending Ferris State University. The opportunities that I’ve been presented here have inspired me to give back to students and give back to the people around me, so that they can, too, have similar experiences and experience the similar success that I have. I have been inspired by this university, and honestly, everybody is just super helpful, the administration students and everything. So I think that’s what inspired me to kind of give back.”
Q: Can you tell me about your past involvement in SGA?
A: “I’ve been a Student Government member since the very end of my freshman year, so a year and a half around there. I’ve been very active when it comes to participation in events when it comes to planning new ideas and events with the Student Government Board. A lot of them I’ve known, personally, had a close relationship over the past few years, and so a lot easier for me to kind of come in and like a conversation and be like, Oh, hey, I think this is something that’d be pretty cool. Students can do this. I wouldn’t have a direct impact. I had no board position. I was just a member, but they were still very open. They were very accommodating, and they could kind of allow me to kind of voice my student opinion. I think that helped me a lot because I had a lot of ideas I was always coming up with. A big part of my involvement, actually very recently, was in the last election, when I ran with Pedro [Saltini] as his vice president. I was a lot more hands-on with Student Government, so Student Government became more of it went from a background thing to a main feature thing for me.”
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in your new board position?
A: “I am starting a bunch of new committees, internal committees for student government. The main point and purpose of these internal committees is to give the students the ability to voice their opinions and solve the problems they want to be solved. All the students have a passion for the things that they want to solve, now they’ll have the outlet and the ability to solve their problems. I help them make a centralized model, where students, no matter what major they are, where they’re from, or what their name is, they’re able to have the option to participate around the campus, so they can make an impact, and not only develop themselves for themselves professionally but help develop others professionally and help give back to the university that they’re attending.”
Q: How do people get involved in those committees?
A: “The internal committees will be accessible to only Student Government members. Becoming a student government member is currently simply attending two meetings. After that, all you have to do is come talk to me via email, in person, or even any of the other board members and just say, hey, I’m interested in this committee here. We’re going to have a paper that, you can sign in to confirm your interest in the committee. Whether you’re interested in the mental and physical health committee or the campus agreement or the survey committee, whichever one, we’re going to have a little document outlined for members who want to sign that, and then they confirm their interest, and then we’ll take their email, then we’ll put it int a centralized organization group for the committees that will allow the members to come in and see a shared document.”
The Student Government Association meets on Tuesdays in the Founders Room at 6:30 p.m. weekly.