At-Large Senate Candidates

At-Large Senators shall be elected from the student body as a whole, using the formula of one (1) Senate seat for every four thousand (4,000) students. 

There are eleven (11) At-Large Senate seats available and twenty-six (26) candidates running. 

Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors: Political Science and History; Minor: Spanish

I work tirelessly to try to improve the conditions on campus for those around me. As someone who has spent 8 years in
Student Government, 2 years in our Senate, and 1 year on University Council, I take much care and consideration into how
our campus can best serve its students and vice versa, to ensure that everyone feels safe, supported, and happy while on
campus. By talking to administrators and students about issues on campus and collaborating with my peers to find innovative
solutions to student problems, we can make this campus a place made for and by all students. It is imperative that every
student on campus feels that they have a voice when it comes to campus operations and student life, and I will always strive
to serve as that liaison for others and lift up their voices and concerns when they cannot. I will work to the best of my ability to
improve campus life for every student I can, through every resource possible, and in every aspect possible; thus, I believe
that through connecting and serving others, the student body would benefit from my involvement in the Student Government
Association.

  1. I plan to pass an initiative to help increase political awareness and engagement on campus. As we head into a new political era as a country, it is crucial now more than ever that the young electorate is informed on the policies being passed and ways they can stay involved in the political sphere. I hope to improve this by partnering with other organizations on campus to start a newsletter that keeps students informed on the political events happening at the moment, along with other political resources and information.
  2. I plan to increase student access to professional development materials and resources through their First-Year Odyssey curriculum. Building on a piece of legislation I created this year, which improved professional development resource access within the Honors College, I seek to expand this access to all UGA students by reforming the FYO curriculum and including these professional development resources in eLC so students can start setting themselves up for success early.
  3. I hope to improve the greater Athens-Clarke community by starting a newsletter filled with information on service projects going on around Athens and ways for UGA students to get involved. This way, UGA students can get volunteer hours and improve the Athens community, which will strengthen the sense of community and tranquility that students feel while in Athens.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors: Political Science and International Affairs and Law, Jurisprudence, and the State

The student body will benefit from our involvement in the Student Government Association, as we are focused on
implementing practical solutions to improve students’ day-to-day experiences. This will manifest in our commitment to improving students’ access to academic and pre-professional resources and to advocating for students whose basic needs are often disregarded. We believe that the efficient use of the university’s resources will enable students to succeed in their academic, professional, and social goals without financial or mental burden. By strengthening our partnership with campus services to promote the responsible use of existing resources, we will help UGA create a resource-efficient, student-focused
environment.

  1. Pre-Professional Resource Lending Library: A lending program that allows students to temporarily check out essential pre-professional items such as old testing booklets for MCAT and LSAT prep, donated textbooks, or purchased course materials.
  2. Athletic and Well-Being Vending Machine: This vending machine would provide students with easy access to physical sports and recreation equipment, such as footballs, frisbees, and other grab-and-go items, along with select wellness essentials. Located in the Tate Student Center, it encourages physical activity, stress relief, and overall student wellbeing by making movement and recreation more accessible on campus.
  3. Swipe it Forward: Opportunity for collaboration with UGA student dining services and food pantry for donation of unused meals swipes to be converted in to future meal prep to combat food insecurity within student population.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science and Economics; Minor: French

The student body will benefit from our involvement in the Student Government Association, as we are focused on implementing practical solutions to improve students’ day-to-day experiences. This will manifest in our commitment to improving students’ access to academic and pre-professional resources and to advocating for students whose basic needs are often disregarded. We believe that the efficient use of the university’s resources will enable students to succeed in their academic, professional, and social goals without financial or mental burden. By strengthening our partnership with campus services to promote the responsible use of existing resources, we will help UGA create a resource-efficient, student-focused environment.

  1. Pre-Professional Resource Lending Library: A lending program that allows students to temporarily check out essential pre-professional items such as old testing booklets for MCAT and LSAT prep, donated textbooks, or purchased course materials.
  2. Athletic and Well-Being Vending Machine: This vending machine would provide students with easy access to physical sports and recreation equipment, such as footballs, frisbees, and other grab-and-go items, along with select wellness essentials. Located in the Tate Student Center, it encourages physical activity, stress relief, and overall student wellbeing by making movement and recreation more accessible on campus.
  3. Swipe it Forward: Opportunity for collaboration with UGA student dining services and food pantry for donation of unused meals swipes to be converted in to future meal prep to combat food insecurity within student population.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors: Civil Engineering and Urban Planning

UGA’s campus suffers from extreme traffic congestion and long travel times. We will focus on investing in the cycling,
walking, parking, and transit experience on campus to improve student wellbeing and productivity. With my minor in urban planning, I will use my class connections and knowledge of modern planning standards to greatly improve the transportation
experience.

  1. Improve the reliability of campus transit servies through route and service optimizations.
  2. Increase bicycle parking and
    improve bike lanes for a more robust cycling system on campus.
  3. Rethink parking on campus to improve service, increase
    revenue, and reduce campus choke points such as the intersection of Baxter and Lumpkin st.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: English; Minor: Political Science

The University of Georgia is very important to me and I want to give back and improve the campus in a significant way. I have strong and effective ideas that will enhcance the experience and quality of life of the UGA’s campus.

  1. I plan to target parking reform and reduce the amount of car traffic in and around the core of campus.
  2. I want to expand and revise bus routes in addition to improving bike infrastructure across campus.
  3. I also want to advocate for the construction of
    additional student housing on campus, all of this in an effort to decrease the car dependency our campus currently
    experiences.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Business Management

The student body will benefit from my involvement though my extensive knowledge regarding campus transit operations. As a student bus driver, I know how it feels to drive buses on UGA’s bustling campus. As a member of SGA, I’ll bring the expertise of campus transit operations to initiate the change this campus actually needs.

  1. Parking reform
  2. Expansive and Reliable Transit Operations
  3. Better Bike Infrastructure

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Economics; Minor: Law, Ethics, and Philosophy

As a proud Georgian and honors economics student at the University of Georgia, my goal is to represent students’ voices and advocate for their needs. If elected, I will achieve this through approachability, transparency, and teamwork. I plan to work with other student representatives to identify key issues, explain proposed solutions to those issues, and, when necessary, explain why certain changes could not be implemented. While I cannot promise all your wishes will come true, I can promise to listen, advocate passionately, and work toward meaningful solutions that improve our student experience.

  1. Negative Grading Adjustment Caps – Currently, professors have the ability to raise grading thresholds to require students achieve grades higher than a 93 to receive an A. If elected, I would work towards establishing caps that ensure scales cannot be altered in a way that would negatively impact student grades.
  2. Bathroom Management in Dorms – Some dorm facilities offer less than ideal bathroom conditions including low pressure, delay of hot water for up to 10 minutes, and waste
    bins that consistently overflow due to small capacity. While some of these fixes are simple and others complex, I plan to push for initiatives that would call for regular quality assurance testing of bathroom facilities in dorms.
  3. Ramsey Facilities Tracker –
    The UGA app currently provides information on activity levels at dining halls, but similar data is not available for the gym. Ramsey Student Center already has partial infrastructure in place to monitor facility usage, and if elected, I plan to advocate for initiatives that would allow students to see real-time capacity at Ramsey.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors: Political Science/History & Public Policy and Management

As an at-large senator, I would benefit the student body by representing students whose voices are often overlooked, particularly rural and first-generation students who may be navigating campus systems for the first time. Many students struggle with joining organizations and understanding new guidelines and platforms, and I want to advocate for improvements to the systems students use every day, including Athena, DegreeWorks, the Engagement Network, Scholarship Universe, and other aspects of the student experience. As a persistent listener, I am eager to collaborate with
other senators and SGA members to shape resolutions that meaningfully improve the student experience. Through community outreach and service, I hope to help create a campus where students feel involved, supported, and welcomed to share their input.

I want to develop and provide new, more effective means of obtaining student-body input for members of SGA. Therefore, allowing more students to be involved in the decision making process and to ensure that they are well represented.
Additionally I want to seek improvements and changes to platforms such as Athena, DegreeWorks, and more to improve the ease of use of these platforms for student success. I also aim to collaborate with different organizations and units on campus
to identify gaps in scholarship, recreation, and more to create more opportunities for students and set us apart from other schools in Georgia, the SEC, and beyond.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The student body program has been something i have been interested since i have held leadership roles in highschool. I wish to continue the roles that i had and strenghten my skills that will help me for the future and be able to use my voice. This will make me more confident in my position and further my interest in other ways that will impact my major and what my future holds for me. I have always worked well with the people around me and i hope to communicate with others so strenghten my skills even furter. I will add character to SGA in a way where i can find a way to talk to anybody, no matter how many differences we hold.

  1. Improving and expanding bus access by ensuring that bus routes are the best they can be, improving their timing and flexibility, and ensuring that as many people have access to good service as possible.
  2. Expanding biking routes by creating
    better bike infrastructure such as bike lanes and bike parking so that more students have the opportunity to safely use active means of transportation to get to school.
  3. Parking reform to serve students that need it the most, and improving the park & ride systems that we currently have to gain better frequency and availability for parking outside of the walkable campus center.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Political Science and Biology

The student body will benefit from my involvement in the Student Government Association because I am committed to
representing the perspectives, needs, and concerns of my constituency rather than leading solely based on my own
individual interests. I believe effective student leadership begins with listening, and I am dedicated to engaging with students from diverse backgrounds to ensure their voices are heard and meaningfully reflected in decision-making. By prioritizing open communication, collaboration, and accountability, I will work to advocate for initiatives and policies that serve the
broader student community and create a more inclusive and responsive SGA.

  1. My first initiative is to implement passes indicating delayed transportation. Delayed transportation is an uncontrollable
    problem creating tension and stress for many students. These passes will be useful for delays which inhibit participation in meetings, social outings, and other obligations often hindered by tardiness.
  2. My second initiative is to integrate generative AI into Degree Works to generate a schedule which satisfies all course requirements and individual student preference. This can make student schedules more flexible to allow for extracurricular commitment.
  3. My third initiative is to expand direct
    student feedback channels to the Student Government Association. The purpose of Student Government is to represent the student body in an authentic manner. More rapid response times and easier entries to voice concerns will foster a more
    supportive atmosphere for all students

Major(s)/Minor(s): International Affairs; History; Law, Jurisprudence and the State

I have been involved in Student Government since arriving at UGA and I will utilize my experience to continue moving forward initiatives that are important to my fellow students. Currently, I am finishing up my second term as one of ten At-Large Senators and serve as a representative for the entire student body. During my past term I not only served as an At-Large Senator but served as the Chair for Educational Affairs Committee working to improve all matters impacting the
education students receive at UGA. This term, I worked to introduce a midterm grade deadline for core curriculum classes, improve the registration system on Athena and DegreeWorks to remove inactive as well as full classes to streamline course selection, and urged departments to publish updated course offering schedules. I am running for a third term as an At-Large Senator to continue working on current initiatives and to bring forward ideas and programs that will improve the student experience at UGA. When re-elected, I will continue to be a resource to all students who are looking to make change as well as listen to your ideas and advocate for you within the Student Government.

  1. Work with Transportation and Parking Services (TPS) to create discounted or parking verification codes during finals week. This would allow students to park at a reduced rate while taking required final exams and improve accessibility by enabling students to park closer to exam locations, rather than having to park across campus in assigned or remote lots.
  2. Continue to work with the Registrar’s Office to improve the registration system by making the new schedule easier to navigate and ensuring Athena can reliably handle high demand during registration and Drop/Add periods.
  3. Increase financial transparency regarding required course materials so students have a clearer understanding of costs before
    registering for classes.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Biological Engineering

A university works best when students understand how decisions are made, who is accountable, and how to be heard when systems fall short. As a current biological engineering student in the pre-medical track at the University of Georgia, I aspire to act as a liaison between the student body and administration to address concerns. As an SGA representative at the
University of Georgia, I aim to serve the student body by promoting transparency and accountability in university policies and decision-making. I plan to work with other SGA representatives to address key issues, discuss and outline viable solutions, and, when necessary, transparently explain the limitations of specific changes. I promise to be a dedicated listener, advocating fiercely and working relentlessly to enhance our campus life at the University of Georgia.

  1. Bathroom Management and Maintenance in Residence Halls: Every student deserves a living environment that is clean, safe, and healthy. Some residence halls don’t provide ideal sanitation and maintenance conditions, including inconsistent
    hallway cleaning, overflowing trash bins, delayed hot water, and mold in bathrooms. If elected, I will advocate for higher standards across all residence halls, pushing for consistent routine inspections and strengthening oversight in older dorms, particularly.
  2. Improved Work Orders in Residence Halls: Our current facility and housing maintenance team works hard to maintain the university’s facilities, but the communication gap leaves students unheard. I aim to bridge that gap by advocating for greater transparency in the work order system. By implementing a priority tier for urgent repairs, such as AC/heating/cooling, ethernet, and other issues, we can help staff manage expectations while ensuring students’ needs are met.
  3. Expanded and Reliable Bus Routes: Navigating the campus shouldn’t be a daily struggle for first-year students or
    students without motor vehicles. During peak times, overcrowding and heavy traffic lead to missed classes and long wait
    times. If elected, I aim to focus on transportation by advocating for reliable route optimization and improved bus frequency
    during peak hours. By expanding stops near freshman dorms and ensuring buses run where they are needed most, I’ll work to make our transit more accessible and fair for every student.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Finance and Political Science

As a freshman, I have already demonstrated a commitment to improving our university by successfully passing a resolution to keep dorm air quality reports public and accessible to students. This experience showed me how meaningful change can happen when student voices are heard and acted upon. Through my continued involvement in the Student Government
Association, I will keep advocating for transparency, accountability, and student well-being. My goal is to work consistently to identify real issues, collaborate with campus leaders, and help build a healthier, stronger, and more informed community for
all students.

  1. Securing Permit Parking in W10 Open Russell Parking Lot: Students who purchase parking permits for W10 and the open Russell lot deserve reliable access to the spaces they pay for, yet these lots are often full because vehicles without proper
    permits park there. This creates daily frustration for students who follow the rules but still struggle to find a spot in their own designated lot. Our ticket will advocate for the installation of gated entry systems that restrict access to permit-holding vehicles only, eliminating the need for constant ticketing and manual enforcement. By preventing unauthorized parking at the
    entrance, we can protect students’ investments in their permits and make parking more efficient, fair, and stress-free for everyone.
  2. Hands-Free Door Access in Residence Hall Bathrooms: Bathrooms in residence halls are some of the most frequently used and essential spaces for students, yet many still require touching door handles immediately after washing
    hands. While the gym and dining halls already have hands-free door openers to promote cleanliness and convenience, the same standard should exist in the places where students live every day. Our ticket will advocate for installing hands-free door mechanisms in dorm bathrooms to improve hygiene, accessibility, and overall quality of life. This simple upgrade would help
    reduce the spread of germs and make residence halls healthier and more comfortable environments for all students.
  3. Lighting the Brumbee Basketball Courts: The Brumbee basketball courts are located in a central, high-traffic area of campus where
    many students gather to play and stay active, yet they become unusable at night due to a lack of proper lighting. This limits access to a space that should be available to students beyond daylight hours and reduces opportunities for recreation and community building. Our ticket will advocate for the installation of permanent overhead lighting at the Brumbee courts so students can safely play in the evening. By improving visibility and safety, we can make this popular campus space more accessible, inclusive, and engaging for students at all hours.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Intended Mechanical Engineering

The student body will benefit form my involvement because I will work hard to enact policy that will help the average UGA student traverse campus. I want to make transit more reliable and reduce congestion so that getting to classes will be easier.

The three main initiatives I seek to complete while in office is to improve the reliability of the transit system, create better bike infrastructure, and reform the parking system.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Intended Finance/Accounting

I will work to enact policies adhering to my platform that includes reform for the transit system. I plan to use surveys and
information directly from the student body to improve reliability for the transit system of UGA. This will include parking, bike infrastructure, and improvement of current systems.

  1. Parking reform that will include working towards UGA’s goal of a campus that is less reliant on cars and make parking
    accessible to those who actually need it.
  2. Reliable transit options that will improve existing networks and create partnerships
    with other bus networks such as the student housing complexes.
  3. Better bike infrastructure that will include more bicycle parking and more protected bike lanes based on where students need them.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Political Science

I plan to work extremely hard to benefit the student body through initiatives that will improve the experience for all students at UGA. I want to help improve transit, housing, land use, and a number of other areas in order to help solve the issue that everyday UGA students face. I’ll be working in study committees to help figure out the root cause of many issues, and coordinating with UGA faculty and ACC staff to create infrastructure improvements across campus.

I want to create more reliable and expanded transit access for all students, improve bike infrastructure such as bike parking and bike lanes, and reform parking options throughout campus.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Political Science;  Minor: Business

I am a current first-year senator with extensive experience in SGA, where I have helped support initiatives such as the Two-Year Plan, which encourages departments and colleges to publish clear two-year course offerings to make the registration process more transparent and efficient. I am also well-versed in Senate procedures and regularly work with fellow senators and students across UGA’s colleges and organizations to ensure that our work not only meets expectations but exceeds them.

  1. ” Honors First-Year Grace Period”: This initiative proposes revising the Morehead Honors College probation policy to allow first-year students a two-semester adjustment period before probation or removal is enforced. Under the current policy, a
    single low grade in an Honors course can immediately place freshmen below the 3.4 GPA threshold while they are still transitioning to college-level academics. Allowing additional time to recover academically would uphold Honors standards while preventing early setbacks from disproportionately impacting student success.
  2. “Ranked Football Ticket Lottery”: Onto something we ALL care about, football. I am proposing a system to allow students to rank their preferred football games within the ticket lottery so they are prioritized for the matchups they care about most, rather than being randomly assigned tickets. This also introduces a verified, university-approved student ticket swap system, reducing unused tickets and penalties while keeping student seating fair and secure.
  3. “Graduate Exam Prep Access Program”: My third initiative would
    establish a university-funded program providing students with free or discounted LSAT, MCAT, GRE, and GMAT prep materials through partnerships with major test-prep companies to lower financial barriers to post-graduate education.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Criminal Justice, Minors: Political Science & Law, Jurisprudence, and the State

The student body would benefit from my involvement in the student government organization from leadership experience I have had in the past being a PL and student body president of my high school, as well as my knowledge of governance and creating legislation from my experience in both the state Senate and US house of representatives

  1. Abolish the plus or minus grading system or add a A+
  2. Be able to buy paw points without a meal plan
  3. Continue to push for
    beach volleyball courts on UGA campus

Major(s)/Minor(s): Economics

The student body will benefit from my involvement in SGA because I am focused on closing the gap between student
feedback and visible action. Too often, students share concerns without knowing what happens next, and I want to help
change that. By improving how transportation delays are communicated, advocating for better support during finals, and
clearly showing how student concerns translate into decisions, my goal is to make SGA’s work more understandable,
transparent, and genuinely useful to students.

  1. “You Asked, We Acted” Transparency Updates: Building on efforts to post all passed legislation on the SGA website, I will advocate for a complementary “You Asked, We Acted” communication initiative that focuses on outcomes rather than language in bills or resolutions that students may not be able to understand. These updates would briefly highlight common student concerns, explain how SGA responded, and clarify what impact, if any, students can expect to see.
    By translating legislation and advocacy efforts into clear, student-friendly summaries, this initiative would help students better
    understand how their feedback leads to action. The goal is to increase transparency, improve trust in SGA, and ensure students feel heard even when solutions take time or require coordination with campus offices.
  2. Consistent Bus
    Delay & Route Update Communication: I will advocate for more reliable, real-time communication regarding UGA bus delays and route changes so students can better plan their commutes. Specifically clearer and more consistent notifications within
    the UGA bus app, as well as improved visibility by displaying in minutes how far buses are from each stop. Better communication would reduce uncertainty, save time, and improve the daily experience for students who rely on campus transportation.
  3. Expanded Late-Night Dining Options During Finals: During midterms and finals, I will work with
    Dining Services to support expanded late-night dining hours or additional Bulldog Box options. Many students study late during exam periods, and ensuring access to food during these high-stress times promotes both student wellness and academic success

Major(s)/Minor(s): Finance

The student body will benefit once I make sweeping policy reform in public transportation. The daily quality of life for students will increase drastically as the bus route system and bus tab in the UGA app are simplified and made more efficient. This will reduce stress, increase productivity, and give students more time to indulge in their personal hobbies and studies.

I plan to make policy changes to the available free transportation systems for UGA students. The bus section of the UGA app will be reformed, making it easier to figure out the time to get from stop to stop. The bus routes will be made more efficient so they are reliable for students who need to get to classes on time. Finally, I will improve bike infrastructure to make UGA a more bike-friendly campus.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: International Affairs

Hi everyone!! My name is Jessica Soriano-Loredo and I am so excited to be running for Senate with UNITE! Throughout my freshman year I became involved in organizations where I wanted to create real change. Being involved in the Hispanic Student Association, Delta Zeta, SGA First-Year Programs, and Senate allowed the fire for my passions to light brighter than ever! Every dawg on campus can count on me to turn their concerns into action and follow through until they see GENUINE change. I know how frustrating it can be when it feels like your needs are not being heard or met and I can guarantee that wouldn’t be the case with me by your side. I’m incredibly attentive and committed to representing students honestly, fighting for their needs, and supporting them on and off campus to create real, VISIBLE impact!

  1. 1. Creating a safer environment in and around student parking lots. 1. As a first year who had her car on campus, I was constantly looking over my shoulder at night! The smallest sound would frighten me and have me speed walking to my car. I plan to create multiple initiatives that will increase the safety of student parking lots/decks to ensure that the student body
    feels safe and secure to load and unload their cars at all hours of the day. I plan to start with installing mirrors in the parking deck stairwells and interview students in regard to what else they’d like to see to support their safety in and around parking
    lots/decks!
  2. Promote cleaner shower spaces in residential spaces. 2. We all know the struggle of getting used to on campus housing after living in our fully sized bedrooms and having our long, relaxing showers at home for our whole lives. Reality hit me really hard as it did for other students when mold in the bathrooms had become our new norm. After completing a full year of living in the dorms, I will have had enough experiences to share with our faculty and administration to aim for a change in cleanings that occur in the bathrooms of our residential halls. I want to establish cleanings that occur every break to help limit the amount of mold and gnats that we especially have in freshman dorms. Showers can go from being relaxing to displeasing with issues like these and I promise your frustrations haven’t gone unnoticed by me!
  3. Create pop-up times for faculty to sit in Tate to allow students to come up to them and ask them questions in relation to their career interests! 3. I’m not sure how many of you have seen that guy on TikTok that holds up a sign on the Beltline, and it reads “I’m a Lawyer. Ask me anything.” I would love to enact something similar here on campus at Tate with professors and faculty! I think it would be a really fun and low stress way for students to get their career questions answered or even just get to know faculty they would have never met otherwise! At some point I also plan to be able to expand this to reach other places on
    campus besides Tate!

Major(s)/Minor(s): Finance

I believe they will benefit because I will be the voice of reason on a hardworking ticket working toward better transit on and around UGA campus. We will work to provide on time, expansive, and efficient transit from west campus to east, north to south, riverbend and vet med and all in between.

  1. Improve the reliability of existing bus networks to ensure that shuttles are frequent and on-time
  2. Call for a partnership
    between student housing complexes and UGA to provide reliable service for students living on campus
  3. advocate for
    protected bicycle lanes in relevant locations throughout campus wherever possible.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Finance and Accounting; Certificate: Legal Studies

I recognize that as an At-Large senator, I have to go beyond my personal experiences and really try to understand where someone with different views is coming from. Not only that, but I have the responsibility of making sure that their point is represented well. As an incumbent, I have a year of experience doing just that, and being able to do that well. If reelected, I promise to continue to represent every student’s concern and continue to be a voice of positive change in the Senate and for this school that we all love.

A specific initiative that I have is adding a digital id card to your phone, this would allow for students to not always need their physical card and would make access to the dorms and buildings much easier. I also am currently pushing to have more allergy-friendly options in the stadiums for games, as I have to deal with a low amount of options myself. Finally, I am also currently assisting with a “Terry Tracker” for extracurricular clubs and societies to increase awareness, providing Terry students with an updated list of every opportunity with details for each.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Major: Public Relations and Political Science

Serving as a senator in UGA’s Student Government Association is a responsibility I do not take lightly. As an At-Large Senator, I will prioritize accessibility, transparency, and inclusivity while advocating for the interests of all students at the University of Georgia. I strive to be a representative who students can trust and communicate with to create meaningful
action. As a double major in Political Science and Public Relations, along with my involvement in other student organizations like my pre-law fraternity, KAPi, and UGA Miracle, I have been exposed to a wide range of students and perspectives across campus. These experiences have prepared me to thoughtfully and effectively serve the student body at UGA.

  1. Mid-Semester Evaluations: At the end of every semester, students are given the opportunity to complete online course evaluations through the Office of Information Technology. These evaluations provide students an anonymous platform to offer both positive and constructive feedback on their courses and professors. While end-of-semester evaluations are beneficial to faculty, colleges, and future students, they offer limited value to the students currently enrolled in the course. I seek to
    implement mid-semester course evaluations that allow students to anonymously provide feedback while the course is still in progress. These evaluations would allow professors to address concerns in real time, illuminate issues that would go unnoticed, and highlight teaching and assessment methods that students find effective. Mid-semester evaluations would give
    students a more direct voice in their learning experience and better equip faculty on student success.
  2. Textbook Cost Transparency: The cost of textbooks can be a major unexpected expense for students. While the UGA Library System highlights ways to save money on textbooks, sometimes the high cost is unavoidable for certain courses. Many students often are unaware of the price of required materials until after registration when final syllabi are posted. During my term, I would seek to complete a Textbook Cost Transparency initiative that would strongly encourage professors to list the estimated textbook and course material costs on Athena prior to registration. Providing this information upfront would allow
    students to make informed decisions when planning their schedules and budget effectively for the semester.
  3. UGA Discounts: University of Georgia students have access to a wide range of discounted programs and services, including UGA Ride Smart with Lyft and free subscriptions to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. In addition, students can take advantage of general college discounts, such as reduced Hulu and Spotify subscriptions. While these benefits are incredibly valuable, many students are unaware that they exist. I want to create a centralized resource that compiles all available discounts for UGA students. This allows the entire student body to have access and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

Major(s)/Minor(s): Political Science/Health Promotion Intended

Hello everyone! My name is Ciara Whimbush, and I am so excited to be running with the UNITE ticket for the At-Large Senator race! UGA has been the perfect home for me this past year, and I cannot wait to help serve this campus and the people who make it wonderful! Through my role as a First-Year Senator, I’ve become acquainted with various corners of UGA, becoming invested in the rich history and tradition that keeps so many people in love with the red and black year after year. By engaging with the Visitors Center, Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, and the Fresh Express Produce Pantry on campus, I’ve begun to walk in lockstep with the needs and goals of UGA students, learning about various aspects of campus life. The student body will benefit from my Student Government involvement because I’m passionate about getting to know
all 40,000 members of our campus community, and how I can be of best service to every Dawg, both permanent and prospective. I am an attentive listener, and most importantly, I get things done. My persistence makes me a great leader; I am more than willing to put in the work to make UGA the best place to work hard and play hard! I would be honored to help represent our diverse, vibrant student body, and I cannot wait to help make an impact on our beautiful campus!

  1. Housing Staff Appreciation: As a firstyear student, living in a residence hall has been a definitive hallmark of my UGA experience. Throughout these last few months, I’ve made meaningful connections with various members of my building community, including the Residence Building Service Workers (RBSWs) and Maintenance Staff who keep our building beautiful each day. The hard work that RBSWs and Maintenance Staff members put in daily to make sure students are safe and comfortable should not go unnoticed, and as an At-Large Senator, I would help facilitate appreciation events and opportunities for students to help give back to the people that give so much to us! This past semester, I passed a resolution to host an appreciation event for RBSWs/Maintenance Staff in collaboration with the Residence Hall Association and UGA Athletics. My goal is to make these events a hallmark of SGA, and I will commit to such throughout my term!
  2. Continuing commitments to decreasing food insecurity on-campus: In light of the recent government shutdown, several members of the UGA/Greater UGA community were unsure of where their next meal would come from. By investing more into our on campus food resources like Fresh Express and the UGA Food Pantry, I believe that UGA can become an even better haven for students who may not have consistent food resources, especially during uncertain times. I want to increase the number of partnerships UGA has with local food banks, pantries, gardens, and kitchens across Athens/Clarke-County, and look into ways that students can engage in cooking classes to further maximize the on-campus resources we have!
  3. Increasing student involvement with the greater Athens/Clarke-County: As students of a robust, happening university, one of my goals is to increase the amount of student involvement outside of the UGA campus! While several organizations already do productive service in surrounding towns, I want to make community service more accessible for every undergrad and graduate student on UGA’s campus. I aim to increase our partnerships with local nonprofits, shelters, and organizations dedicated to increasing the goodwill within the city of Athens. Whether it’s by volunteering at heating shelters to support the homeless community, or helping out cleaning trash downtown after gamedays, I believe there are so many meaningful yet unexplored ways UGA students can get tapped into our wonderful college town and community. By helping every student get in on the fun, I believe that all UGA students can gain valuable experiences in lending a hand!

Major(s)/Minor(s): Finance

As a member of the UGA Student Government, my goal is to advocate for the student body on university issues in order to create a version of UGA that best supports our collective needs. I will focus my efforts on improving UGA programs to better prepare students for workplace environments, increasing the accessibility of student resources on campus (academic, personal, and professional), and addressing everyday annoyances caused by inefficiencies on campus. I served as a firstyear
senator this past year, representing freshman students in votes on campus-wide initiatives. Now, as an At-Large
Senator, I hope to continue learning about current problems that students are facing and use the insights to guide change at the university level.

  1. I will work to secure more partnerships with homework/classroom platforms that are required for UGA courses. Securing a university partnership with TopHat was a great first step; as an At Large senator, I want to continue this path by polling the
    student body to find common class-required online services. Then, I will work towards creating connections with these service providers in order to decrease the additional costs with signing up for classes. I also will also work towards making the monetary commitment for classes transparent before registration, so that students do not have to enroll into the class before discovering the full financial cost of class-required materials. I will work towards increasing the accessibility of research positions on campus.
  2. Many students rely on research positions for on-campus ways to gain knowledge in a specific subject matter. However, the UGA research page is only updated on a semester basis with a small handful of opportunities. By increasing the page updates to a quarterly basis and creating a system to ensure a constant flow of opportunities, I hope to make research positions more widely accessible and of more variety for different majors. In doing so, it will help to democratize opportunities for students across campus.
  3. I will work to create better transitions between on and off-campus living. While the university isn’t directly involved in helping students find off-campus apartments, improved assistance for underclassmen in finding apartments would be impactful toward UGA’s mission of supporting students. Creating social media
    posts about “how to find apartments” or “how to find a sublease” would be instrumental in helping inexperienced students find
    a good place to start.