By HBCU Lifestyle,
The student body is involved in almost every event in the school, especially activities that require student participation like sports meets, rallies, student conventions, freshman orientation, etc. There’s a lot to do and the organization can certainly use all the free help it can get.
Every school has a student government association, but it’s no secret that many students don’t want to be a part of it because they are under the impression that this type of organization is full of “politics”. Politics, as in the negative kind where people are always worrying about the hierarchy of the organization and whose decision should prevail. However, this kind of “politics” is common after college, especially in the workforce and in big companies. Therefore, exposure to it early on will help students cope in the future.
Most of those who don’t consider the student government association a must-join during their college years are missing out on some of the best learning experiences a person can encounter during college. Being able to add another entry under “leadership positions” in your curriculum vitae is just the tip of the iceberg. You can also get part-time jobs, networking opportunities, internship openings, and even scholarships to graduate schools.
The student government association can demand a lot from a student, time-wise. But the pros outweigh the cons. Read on…
Why should you join the student government association?
1. Social Skills – Even the most reserved students have no choice but to speak up and participate when there’s a task that needs doing.
As a student leader, you will learn quickly that speaking in a certain manner will get you what you want most of the time. You will find out how good you are at persuading people, how charismatic you can be, and how easy it is to talk to people from different cultures. Social skills learned this way will translate to amazing sales skills later on.
2. Networking – In theory, networking is easy. How difficult can it be to find people who share your interests? But building a solid network of contacts involves more than just meeting people. You need to earn each other’s mutual respect, which will only happen if you interact on a regular basis.
Being a student leader or an active member of the student government association will give you the chance to interact with teachers, fellow students, alumni and students from other schools. You may also get the chance to represent your school in activities off campus, which will increase your networking potential even more.
3. Work Skills – First impression is everything in the workplace, and being a former student leader gives you an edge when it comes to finding a job and applying for an internship or post-graduate scholarships. Each of the skills you will acquire in the org has a corresponding skill that is valued in the workplace.
For example, if your main role in the student government association was encoding the names of all freshmen students and creating reports on MS Excel, you have data entry skills. If you have been the one running around the campus updating teachers and admin about SGA-organized events, you have well-developed liaison skills. Plus, you can easily get the recommendation of a fellow student leader, your adviser, or the dean himself to prove to your future boss that you’re telling the truth about your skill sets.
While your time is your own and only you can decide how you spend it, you should consider the student government association as one of the best orgs to join in college. Through this org, you can build good friendships and improve your personality.
