SGA Retreat | Photo by Alexis Lewis | The Wright State Guardian
The Wright State University student governing body executive board and cabinet members discuss new roles, increased activity and goals for the upcoming semester.
President and Vice President
The Student Government Association President, Stephanie Buettner, and Vice President, Aliesha Knauer, expressed excitement to have a full SGA this year with more Greek Life, graduate student and women representation in the body. Buettner explained that the group has meshed well since its first time meeting at the SGA retreat on Aug. 12.
Knauer hopes to support SGA members and support them in their initiatives; some areas Knauer hopes to improve are fundraising and increasing opportunities.
“I really want there to be more resources for low income students or mothers on campus, single parents, things like that. If I'm going to be allotted the power to be able to do that, I would really like to do that,” Knauer said.
Chief of Staff
The previous Director of Inclusive Excellence and Accessibility, Ariana Ellis, is the new Chief of Staff for SGA. For the hiring process, Ellis explained that SGA compared what candidates were involved in and how their personalities would intersect with SGA’s mission and goals.
As the new Chief of Staff, Ellis plans to help the other cabinet members find resources that they need to complete their jobs and tasks.
Director of External Affairs
For Paige Benson, upcoming Director of External Affairs in SGA, one major focus is broadening resources to students through social media. Online marketing has been the most successful avenue for SGA compared to fliers or posters on campus, according to Benson.
“Maybe more information would be better to share because as someone who's just a brand new student, if you saw our account on some sort of social media platform, you might have a good idea of it, but what does it actually mean and how can we help you?” Benson explained.
Benson also plans to update the SGA website to include office hours to increase availability to the student population. Support of other student organizations on campus, such as the University Activities Board or Greek Life, is a large component of SGA’s initiatives to support the campus community.
Director of Internal Affairs
Rylee Thompson is looking forward to seeing a different side of campus after being involved mainly with Greek Life prior to confirmation as Director of Internal Affairs at SGA. Thompson plans to utilize personal organization and communication skills to tear down any walls that might be present within or outside the governing body.
“My hope is to not only reach out to the incoming students but also make sure that our current students know that we are here and that we are here to support them,” Thompson said.
Thompson notices a positive trend in a “post-COVID” world at Wright State, expressing excitement about the new opportunities an active campus can bring.
Director of Academic Affairs
As a senior, Shavonn Corbett-Robinson plans to use personal knowledge of the resources on campus paired with leadership experience to serve the student population. Corbett-Robinson explained the role of Director of Academic Affairs.
“I am primarily the liaison for the students to the academic advisors. If there's anything that's going on or [students] dislike, I can refer that to the advisors or whatever faculty member it may refer to,” Corbett-Robinson said, explaining that an email or a visit to office hours is the best way for students to be heard.
Director of Student Affairs
As the Director of Student Affairs, Madisyn Crabtree plans to keep in touch with student organizations on campus while collaborating with Angela (AJ) Allen, the new Director of Student Organizations. Crabtree emphasized the importance of perspective in student concerns and experience.
As a marketing major with a minor in math and organizational leadership, Crabtree plans to use lessons from the classroom in a hands-on manner to improve personally and professionally while aiding SGA in doing so.
Despite having a busy schedule, Crabtree explained a personal presence and commitment to student needs and success.
Ryan Diaz, Policy Administrator, and Aaron Osborn, Director of Inclusive Excellence and Accessibility, were not available at the SGA retreat.
To stay updated about SGA, including about meetings, bylaws and the constitution, visit the organization’s Engage page. The first SGA meeting will be on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. in the Student Union Atlantis A/B room.
