Dear Bradley University,
As the year comes to a close and SBO elections are nearly complete, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on my year as your student body president.
Coming into office nearly a year ago I had much on my mind and numerous great ways I wanted to improve life on Bradley’s campus. I brought many of these ideas to the Student Senate, where they were well received and approved by Senate members, who I cannot thank enough for their hard work and dedication this past year.
I brought forth amendments to add two new Senate positions, a ROTC Senator as well as a transfer student senator. I sponsored legislation to allow co-ed roommates in Main Street Commons and St. James; after initial hesitation, the administration ultimately agreed to make those changes in Main Street Commons. During my term as President, we passed legislation to reconvene the committee that developed the Alcohol Action Plan so that current student input could be used to revise that policy.
We launched a new campus safety committee that will always ensure that student safety is addressed to the administration through Student Senate. I was able to co-sponsor legislation to express Bradley’s support for the Collegiate Housing Infrastructure Act that will be brought to the United States Congress later this month. These are just a few of the many great things the Student Senate accomplished under my leadership this year.
As President, I had the unique privilege of helping restart the Freshman Convocation ceremony at Bradley University. I was able to represent the student body at the dedication of our beautiful new Renaissance Coliseum and meet personally with Jay Leno when he visited campus.
On behalf of Bradley University, I was fortunate enough to travel to West Point, where I had the opportunity to interact and discuss ethics in America with future leaders of the nation. I traveled to Washington, D.C. twice, and I was once featured on C-SPAN’s Q&A, enabling me to represent Bradley University on a national level. Most recently I had the chance to travel to the Illinois State Capitol to lobby for our state government’s continued support of the MAP Grant program; I was even able to meet our Lieutenant Governor along with students from across the state.
This past year has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and I was able to experience and do so many amazing things that I never thought possible. I always put you, the students of Bradley University, first in every decision and piece of legislation I brought forward. Despite how this year unfolded, I never stopped representing what was best for the Bradley University students to the administration and Board of Trustees, both of whom I want to thank for always listening to everything I had to say and working with me to make life at Bradley University that much better.
Above all, I want to thank all of you for electing me one year ago and giving me the opportunity to represent you. I wish my successor all the success and happiness that I had while in office.
Sincerely,
Nicholas Swiatkowski
Student Body President
