Student Government Association executive elections are approaching in March, and current leaders are encouraging students to both run for office and vote, emphasizing the direct impact SGA has on campus life.

SGA President Tamil Adele, senior criminal justice major from Midland, said the election process began earlier than in previous years, with interest meetings held in January to give potential candidates more time to develop their platforms and prepare for the campaign season.

“We wanted them to have enough time to prep mentally and emotionally,” Adele said. “Right now we’re waiting for petitions to be turned in, and once eligibility is confirmed, campaigning will begin.”

Candidates will present at a Senate meeting, participate in a debate and then move into the voting period.

Both Adele and SGA Press Secretary Yeeun Goh said student involvement in the election is important because the executive team serves as the primary connection between the student body and university administration.

“It’s the direct way they can make change happen,” Adele said. “You serve as a point person for other students.”

Goh, senior advertising and public relations major from Ikeda, Japan, echoed that statement and said SGA is a behind-the-scenes force that shapes student experience through funding decisions and collaboration with university leadership.

“It really sets the tone for how SGA is going to operate,” Goh said. “That affects how funding is spread to clubs and student organizations and how we work with Student Life and other departments.”

Recent initiatives supported by SGA include the ice cream machine in The Bean, new weight-lifting equipment in the recreation center and the LED board outside the Campus Center, which student organizations use to promote events.

Despite those visible projects, both Goh and Adele said many students do not realize how much influence their vote carries.

“If you don’t vote, then your voice is for sure not heard,” Adele said, encouraging students to read candidate platforms and consider feasibility and accountability.

In addition to voting, current officers are urging students without prior experience to consider running or applying for executive positions in the future.

“It’s a great leadership opportunity and a way to ease into a professional setting while serving the community that poured into you,” Goh said.

As the current administration prepares to transition, both leaders said relationships within the executive team have been one of the most meaningful parts of their experience. Goh said the group operates “like a family,” while Adele said simply spending time together in the office strengthened their ability to work effectively.

For future officers, their advice centers on approachability and teamwork.

“Be a friend to everybody,” Adele said. “You can’t meet needs if you don’t know what they are.”

Goh said that leaders should be proactive and willing to serve beyond their defined roles.

“To lead is to serve,” she said. “No one thinks, ‘That’s not my job.’ We show up early, we set up, and we clean up together.”

As the election season begins, both leaders said they hope students will stay informed, meet the candidates and take advantage of the opportunity to shape the direction of SGA for the coming year.