SGA swears in 10 new senators

Asem Abdelfattah Ten new senators were sworn into the Student Government Association (SGA) at its meeting on Tuesday night, and the Senate is preparing for its annual retreat to Laguna Beach. Gus McKenzie, a senior communications major from Monroe­ville and SGA president, said he is happy and excited about the new senators who were sworn in during this week’s meeting. “I think they are great; the students chose very well,” McKenzie said. “I have the same expectations for them as all the other senators: to portray SGA values and represent the students and their needs. “I am excited to know each of them at the retreat.” Morgan Long, a junior sport management major from Birmingham and vice president of campus activities, said the SGA and Freshman Forum will go to Panama City Beach, Florida, for their annual retreat. “We’ll be going to Laguna Beach in Panama City, Florida, from Friday afternoon to Sunday morning,” Long said. “There we will discuss and plan about events, pep rallies, homecoming week, South Alabama rivalry game, parliamentary procedure, SGA operations and we also get to know everyone. “I look forward to the retreat; it’s great to get to know people who share a passion of serving,” Long said. Niraj Patel, a junior biomedical sciences and chemistry major from Ahmadabad, India and the Gardner Hall representative and student welfare committee member, expressed his awe of his first SGA meeting and shared a few of his ideas and topics he brings to SGA. “The SGA environment is awesome, organized and focused,” Patel said. “Everyone gets an equal opportunity to voice their opinions and thoughts. “I plan to work on dorms and facilities, especially Gardner Hall that I represent and the Dining Hall as well.” Emily Aaron, a graduate master of business administration student from Mobile and member of the public relations and marketing committee, said her goal is to get more graduate students involved on campus. “I want to encourage (graduate students) to attend events, games and all the fun stuff we have around campus,” Aaron said. “I don’t want graduate students to feel left out or that they don’t have a voice because they are here for a shorter time, especially the ones who did not get (their) undergraduate degree from Troy.”