The Student Government Association (SGA) held their weekly senate meeting Nov. 6 in Thornton Administrative Center (TAC) covering upcoming campus events and community initiatives.
SGA Vice President Michael Sugimoto opened the meeting in the absence of SGA President Myers Mentzer, who was leading a prayer devotional at President Jim Gash’s executive team meeting. The SGA meeting was filled with reflection and excitement as the student-led organization prepared for the upcoming holidays and a busy final stretch of the semester.
Each SGA class president reflected on their town hall successes and the common goal of community and long-lasting bonds amongst classmates on campus. Senior Class President Walden Hicks said he’s working to create an unforgettable day for the senior class.
“We’re trying to find discounted tickets for a full day at Disneyland for seniors,” Hicks said. “We would like to make it a tradition and we have a lot of support for it. It’s a great bonding experience before we leave Pepperdine.”
SGA is also focusing on creating lasting sources of community through its resources, particularly through its financial disbursement strategy to clubs and organizations on campus, said Ana Cervantes, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) chair.
“Instead of giving smaller amounts of money to a larger number of clubs, we’re focusing on giving larger more significant amounts of money to a smaller group of clubs,” Cervantes said. “For instance, we’re planning to partner with Student Outreach Unity Leadership (SOUL) to focus on mindfulness and calmness through an event before finals.”
As the semester draws to an end and the holiday spirit begins to fill the air, SGA said they are planning two holiday and community success-focused campaigns.
The Week of Thankfulness will take place in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. This will be a community-driven celebration to honor the faculty, staff and students who make Pepperdine special, Sugimoto said.
“The goal is to foster a feeling of thanksgiving and service throughout the student body,” Sugimoto said. “The week will be filled with tabling to thank our professors, staff, cafeteria and service workers.”
Vice President of Administration Joanna Lee added more information about the annual SGA Twelve Days of Christmas.
“Our twelve days of SGA leading up to Christmas will be filled with excitement. We’ll have shuttles to LAX, late-night breakfast, and we’re going to collaborate with other campus life groups,” Lee said. “Our overall goal is to foster both the Christmas spirit and push through finals.”
More information will be announced by SGA in the coming weeks as logistical details are finalized, Lee said.
With finals and the holidays on the horizon, SGA is pushing forward with the goal of creating an atmosphere of thankfulness, wellness and holiday cheer for the Pepperdine community, Sugimoto said.
“This is a time of year that brings a lot of different emotions. So please, take care of yourselves and take care of each other,” Sugimoto said.
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Email H.L. McCullough: hubert.mccullough@pepperdine.edu
