Curious to know more about Franklin’s Student Government Association? These peer-selected representatives work on behalf of the collective student voice on and off campus. The 2023-2024 Student Government Association Executive Board, which serves as a reference point for students, faculty, and staff, include the following:
-
Gabriel Bader (Senior): President
-
Alexandra Schoepke (Sophomore): Vice President and Head of Programming
-
Cassidy Gorrigan (Junior): Head of Community Development and Initiatives Committee (CDIC)
-
Peyton French (Sophomore): Head of Finance
-
Bella Smith (Sophomore): Head of Public Relations
-
Jordan King (Junior): Secretary
These are the people you need to know about because they can answer many questions, and they “make things happen.” The SGA started the year with the challenge of preserving Franklin traditions and values while also being open to change to improve the student experience. This year, the leadership team is excited to see so many new clubs on campus, the proliferation of which has led to the formation of small interest groups within the larger Franklin community. The SGA evaluates how to best invest in these groups and foster more opportunities to address multiple student interests. Knowing how to support the needs of each group is a task that requires cooperation and great listening skills—qualities that all the board members have!
SGA President Gabriel Bader explains that one of the most important actions that the board has taken this year is expanding relationships for Franklin outside of Sorengo. Along with Cassidy Gorrigan, Head of Community Development, Bader has worked on some initiatives to allow Franklin students to engage socially and academically with Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI), two of the local Swiss universities. Gorrigan liaises between off and on campus entities to keep the Franklin tight-knit and to sustain community through events. Vice President and Head of Programming Alexandra Schoepke helps to plan on-campus activities such as holiday events to foster inclusion and keep the campus vibrant. Secretary Jordan King keeps meeting notes, takes the minutes, and tracks attendance. By taking on this important administrative role, they make sure that SGA information is available on the Moodle page, that the SGA Google Drive is updated, and that there is open dialogue among clubs and student groups. King reports that 15-30 students can usually be found at each meeting, including Town Hall meetings, where attendees have the chance to bring up and address concerns and grievances to improve Franklin campus life.
Bella Smith, Head of Public Relations, coordinates the external image of Franklin events on social media, particularly on Instagram, to keep the larger community informed about upcoming events and engagement opportunities. Finance afficionado Peyton French keeps the books, manages monetary transactions, and documents everything so that the SGA functions well. One area for change that he identified is the need to set up a cashless payment system. After getting feedback from the entire Franklin community, he says that the cash system is not feasible anymore but that he is sure that the university will evolve in digital finance this year.
This year’s SGA Executive Board members agree that their main mission this year is to promote the liberal arts education model that makes Franklin so special, keep alumni involved with on-campus happenings, and bridge communication about day-to-day functions between staff/faculty and students. These important student leaders do a great deal of work behind the scenes to make the FUS experience optimal and enjoyable. As the year reaches its midpoint, they want to encourage first-year students to get more involved. Thank you, SGA Board, for all that you do!
Gallery
