Student Senate hosts first candidacy meeting

The Student Senate held its first-year candidacy meeting on Monday, which included a vacancy filling. 

Candidates were allowed to address the Senate and briefly state why they were interested in a particular position. They then delivered speeches highlighting ideas such as increasing diversity and resolving campus issues. This resulted in the addition of five members who were sworn into new positions. 

The Student Senate holds meetings every Monday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The topics of these meetings vary throughout the year. As the year progresses, the meetings also consist of election assemblies. 

Student leaders within the Senate ensure the meetings run smoothly and are out on time. 

Rodrigo Trujillo, the speaker of the assembly and senior political science and English double major, enjoys the sense of community created by the Senate. 

“The community engagement [allows] initiatives to bridge us with the general student body,” Trujillo said. 

This helps bring a warm welcome to those interested. With elections, meetings, forums and events, the Student Senate hosts experiences that anyone can attend. 

“[This club is] for everybody: all the students, graduate students, international students, first years, transfers, everybody that wants to come,” Student Body President Adalia Yeung said.

Yeung described a new idea senators are working on involving opening up the organization for professors and staff members to join so they can learn from the students in one space. 

The Student Senate gives away free Bradley merchandise every month to express an understanding of financial struggles. The self-made products are just one aspect of the club that members find enjoyable. 

Another event members enjoy is the flag-raising during Black History Month. This is a space where the Black community can connect and celebrate campus diversity. 

“[This club is] for everybody. [The Student Senate is] a vessel and a voice for the student body,” Chief of Staff Lauren Henson said. “Our mission is to represent the student body the best we can. I think we have a lot of resources.” 

The Student Senate members continue to work hard to form a liaison between the student body and the administration to develop unity for our Bradley community.