By Chloe Dent
As election season approaches, members of Student Government Association leadership are reflecting on a year marked by encouragement, campus-wide events, and navigating institutional change.
This year’s SGA leadership has centered its mission on one key theme: encouraging others.
“This year, as SGA leadership, we have been focused on encouraging others – through events, legislation, and service opportunities,” Spencer Barnhill, SGA President, shared.
That focus has translated into both large-scale campus moments and smaller, everyday initiatives. Among the accomplishments leadership is most proud of is the Cornerstone event in early October, which commemorated the Raley project and invited juniors and seniors to participate in the Walk.
“It involved and celebrated all aspects of OBU – students, faculty, staff, alumni, tradition,” Barnhill said. “On a personal level, speaking on behalf of the students at the grand re-opening of Shawnee Hall was incredible.”
Beyond ceremonial events, SGA has also worked to directly impact student life through funding and programming. Throughout the year, legislation passed by the Senate has provided financial support to campus clubs and organizations. The group has also hosted student-centered events like Barks & Barqs – an afternoon featuring dogs and root beer floats – and supported campus culture by praying at athletic events.
Student Government’s role, however, extends beyond events.
“SGA serves as a mediator between students and administration,” Nathan Wilson, SGA Vice President, said. “With more involvement, more ideas can be heard, considered, and implemented.”
Ensuring student voices are represented in administrative conversations remains a priority. Leadership emphasized ongoing collaboration with various campus offices to represent the broader student body in meetings and discussions.
Like many organizations, SGA also faced challenges this year. Significant campus transitions – including shifts in physical spaces and changes in faculty and staff leadership – required flexibility.
“There was a lot of change this year,” Barnhill said. “Working through these changes was difficult, but it was also very rewarding.”
Another challenge was narrowing priorities.
“You can’t do everything,” Wilson said. “Narrowing our goals and ambitions has been challenging – but it has paid off.”
Communication has been another area of reflection. Public Relations Chair Hayden Rayls acknowledged that while SGA utilizes social media, flyers, and word of mouth to communicate, awareness among the broader student body could improve.
“I feel some students are aware of what SGA does if they follow our socials and are friends with club members,” Rayls said. “The general public of the student body is unaware, unfortunately.”
Instagram remains the organization’s most effective platform, and with campaign season approaching, Rayls plans to highlight each candidate individually to help students stay informed.
Behind the scenes, financial stewardship also plays a critical role in SGA’s operations. Treasurer Noah Steelman described managing the organization’s budget as both a responsibility and a privilege.
“It’s really encouraging being able to watch how a club like SGA can serve campus by providing funding for various causes and organizations,” Steelman said. “I’m glad that I have been blessed with such a pivotal role in the development of OBU and its culture this year.”
As elections draw closer, leadership hopes more students will consider getting involved.
“Be all in, follow the rules, and make the most of it,” Barnhill said to prospective candidates.
Participation, they emphasized, matters not only for individual leadership development but for campus-wide impact.
Looking ahead, leadership hopes to see “more cohesion overall, inside and outside of SGA” and an increase in student-submitted legislation. Greater unity and broader engagement, they believe, will continue strengthening the bridge between students and administration.
While not every student may see the day-to-day logistics behind meetings, budgeting, or constitutional oversight, SGA leaders say their goal remains simple: to serve and represent the campus community well.
As one year closes and another election season begins, the organization’s message is clear – student voices matter, and leadership is open to anyone willing to step forward.
