Student Leadership

Transcript

Let’s join Garrett, a junior in professional sales. He’s discovered that student government or WSUSA is a great way to develop leadership skills. During his time in office, Garrett saw a need and advocated for change. The result? A more inclusive campus for all students. It’s just one example of the impact student leaders are making by working together. Take it away, Garrett.

– Ah good game. Thanks, Alex, and welcome everybody to the lanes and games here on campus. Growing up local to Ogden, I always had big plans to move far from home for college. I never knew that my dream university would be just down the street. I chose Weber State for its renowned professional sales program. I quickly found a job as a graphic designer alongside my older sister who was the media manager for student government. That’s when I realized there wasn’t any queer representation in Weber State University Student Association or WSUSA. So when the first LGBTQ plus student Senator position opened up, I immediately applied. After being selected for this awesome opportunity, I was able to represent and advocate for queer students across campus and create safe spaces like the ones that I depended on before coming out. After learning about parliamentary procedure, and how to navigate the student senate, I passed several pieces of legislation protecting queer students on campus. One initiative to display pronouns on roll sheets so we can mitigate misgendering in classrooms is rolling out soon. Weber State leaders have proven that they truly care about student activism. WSUSA leaders and advisors are constantly working to make campus a better place for absolutely everybody. They’ve been amazing mentors. They’re welcoming, willing to train, and they love helping students to make positive change. Since serving as the LGBTQ plus student senator, I’ve been elected as the executive vice president where I was able to oversee and run student senate sessions making them more accessible for everybody. Recently, my sister Ashley was reelected as the student body president. I’ve loved working with her and learning about why it’s so necessary to speak up and advocate for students whenever I can. That’s all for me Alex, back over to you.

– Congratulations on your new legislation, Garrett. One of WSUSA’s purposes is building meaningful connections on campus and in the community. This rewarding work is a valuable asset to any resume and it’s a lot of fun. No matter what your major is, make it a goal to get involved and give back.