Were you apart of your high school’s student government? Did you help plan dances, prom, student events or fundraisers? Have you ever wanted to be apart of something that was super cool and fulfilling? I ask these questions because that was me when I was in high school. Although I am not as active in student government as I used to be, I still reap many of the benefits of those involved in Student Government Association on Butler’s campus.

Butler University’s SGA is committed to improving your campus experience. They represent the student body and support over 150 student organizations on campus while addressing student concerns and providing engaging programming with the Butler community. SGA connects the students to the administration; building strong relationships with the faculty and staff addressing student concerns. Some of SGA’s functions include providing a free weekend shuttle service for students, offering grants for represented student organizations, and hosting exciting student events, like diversity programming, concerts, and philanthropy fundraisers.

Taylor Leslie is a senior international business major and a SGA Diversity and Inclusion Board member. She is a major advocate for the push to bring notable and different speakers to campus. “My experience with SGA has been great. I’ve been a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Board since my sophomore year,” Taylor said. “My roles within SGA have given me the opportunity from a student position to help make changes in the way that diversity and inclusion is perceived on campus.”

Another student involved in SGA is Chris Sanders. He is a junior psychology major, a co-chair for SGA’s Concerts Committee and a student assistant for the Office of Health and Education. His experiences have made working within SGA some of his best memories while on campus. “I didn’t know what I was really getting into when I joined, but if someone would have told me that my Butler experience would including meeting famous artists such as T-Pain, Kesha, and DNCE, I would not have believed them, but this is exactly what happened.” Chris said.

SGA can open several doors for students. Once apart of SGA team, new benefits and opportunities open up for everyone on campus in the Butler community.

“Other students should consider joining SGA because it gives you an opportunity to be a leader on this campus,” Taylor said. “You get a chance to influence and be apart of the change that is happening on campus. You’ll also make connections with many students and find a team of leaders that have similar passions as yourself.”

Not only is being apart of SGA an awesome opportunity, but it is an important part of campus life on campus. “I think SGA is very important to have on campus.” Chris said.“Without SGA, we wouldn’t be able to have great events such as BUDM, Butlerpalooza, or Spring Sports as all of these are all planned by different SGA committees. SGA pays a critical role in facilitating important relationships between all members of the Butler community.”