Photo Credits: Student Government Association
Following the recent Student Government Association (SGA) election, SGA has a new team of senators. There are three new freshmen senators: Sienna Reed, Emma Mitchell, and Lexia Callahan. Garrett Poole is the new senator-at-large; Joy Skaggs is the new Honors College senator; and Sarah Brotherton is the new senator for the College of Education and Health. I had a chance to speak with Poole, Mitchell, and Brotherton about how they plan to make a difference at Arkansas Tech University, how they plan to put their campaign promises into action, how they plan to handle disagreements with the student government board, and everything else they want students to know.
Let’s start with the first senator I spoke with, Garrett Poole. Poole is a junior finance major from Hot Springs, Arkansas, who holds the new responsibility of being SGA’s senator-at-large. Poole strives to make a difference at Tech by being someone to whom all students feel comfortable bringing ideas and concerns to. Poole said, “If something about campus could be better, I want to listen and bring it to the right people. I believe every student has great ideas to help improve ATU, so I want to make sure their voices are heard.” Poole has big plans to put his campaign promises into action. Poole says, “I’ll keep talking to students about what matters most to them, then bring that up in SGA. I know that change can take time, so I want to follow up with students and let them know the progress we’re making.” Poole also is aware that members of SGA will not always see eye to eye: “We won’t always agree, but we will work on disagreements and stay focused on what’s best for the students.” Poole wants the student body to know that “I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent Arkansas Tech students and their opinions. I would not have this position if it wasn’t for the student body to vote for me. If you have an idea or concern, please reach out to me. I want your voice to be heard.” You can contact Garrett Poole at his email address, gpoole6@atu.edu.
The new senator for the College of Education and Health, Sarah Brotherton, also has much that she wants students to know. Brotherton is a junior rehabilitation science major from Louisiana with minors in social service, child welfare, and sociology. Brotherton states that she wants to make a difference at Tech by “making sure students know that their ideas and concerns are actually being heard.” She also said, “I want to help create a stronger sense of community and make sure students feel connected to Arkansas Tech.” Brotherton plans to put these promises into action by “working with the board and finding realistic ways to bring my ideas to reality.” She then told me about how she views disagreements and how she plans to handle disagreements on the board. Brotherton says, “Every member of SGA is going to be different; that’s the beauty of it. Disagreements are naturally going to happen. I think what matters most is being willing to listen to each other and understand where everyone comes from. At the end of the day, we are all there for the same reason, which is to represent the student body. I want to be able to work through disagreements respectfully and find solutions that benefit the student body as a whole.” Brotherton concluded by saying, “I want students to know that I am very excited about this opportunity, and I am there to represent them. I may not have every answer, but I am willing to listen, learn, and speak up for the things that matter to students. I want to make the most of this opportunity and make a positive impact during my time here at Arkansas Tech.”
The final new senator whom I had a chance to speak with was Emma Mitchell, one of the 3 new freshman senators. Mitchell is a biomed major from Vilonia, Arkansas, with a minor in Spanish. Mitchell is passionate about mental health advocacy. Mitchell said, “I want to make a difference on campus by partnering with the Health and Wellness Center and local mental health advocates to further push mental health advocacy on campus. While mental health is being talked about a substantial amount in our generation, there is still a massive stigma surrounding speaking up about mental health challenges and getting help. I want to see that stigma erased and fully make this campus a place where students feel comfortable speaking on their mental health challenges and even feel comfortable advocating for those unable to.” Mitchell says that she wants to suggest that SGA “start fundraising and rallying for mental health causes.” I asked Mitchell how she plans to handle any disagreements with her plans in SGA, and she told me, “There is never going to be a situation where everyone fully agrees; however, disagreement does not mean hostility. Nothing good comes from unwillingness. I am willing to work with everyone to reach a common goal, whether we agree fully or not.” Mitchell wants students to know how truly grateful she is for this position: “I want to thank all the people who I got to meet during this campaign who trusted me enough to represent them. It’s a responsibility I am truly grateful for.”
These are the plans and sentiments of some of our new senators. I look forward to seeing what SGA has in store for this semester and possibly getting in touch with other SGA members as this semester progresses. If you would like to keep up with SGA yourself, they hold meetings every Wednesday at noon in the Travis Adams Leadership Room in the Ferguson Student Union that are open to the general public.
