• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

HBCU Lifestyle – Black College Living

  • HBCUs
    • What is an HBCU?
    • History
    • List of HBCUs
    • Notable Graduates
  • Jobs
  • Parents
    • HBCU Rankings
    • Black College Tours
    • College Admissions
    • Financing
    • College Scholarships
    • College Planning
  • Current Students
    • College Life
      • Greek Life
      • Sports
      • Dorm Living
      • College Survival
    • Careers
      • HBCU Career Hub
      • Internships
      • Career Profiles
      • Entrepreneur
    • Research Paper Resources
      • Research Paper Topics: 50 Ideas to Get Started
      • How To Write An Annotated Bibliography
      • Journalism Research Paper Resources
  • Alumni
    • HBCU Shirts
    • Podcast
    • Alumni Spotlight
    • HBCU Merch
    • Jobs
  • Shop

You are here: Home / Current Students / College Life / Student Government Association: Three Reasons to Join

College Life

Student Government Association: Three Reasons to Join

A female Student Government Association president stands out in front of fellow SGA members.

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.

February 11, 2014 by Ruby Grace

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Thoth says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:14 am

    Can we just be honest please? The SGA at HBCUs are basically a powerless group that are only there for resume boosters. Chances are if you join, you won’t make any difference on campus and the little bit you may accomplish won’t really amount to anything in the end.

    Join for the only reason you really can at an HBCU; for the resume boost (and pea-cocking yourself to join a fraternity/sorority). Just being honest.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Quick Links

  • Newsletter
  • Jobs and Internships
  • Shop
  • HBCU Colleges List: 107 Great Education Options to Consider
  • HBCU Rankings 2022
  • HBCU College Tours
  • Contact Us
  • About Us

Popular Posts

  • Happy female college student working on research paper topics. Research Paper Topics: 50 Ideas to Get Started
  • HBCU Sororities and Fraternities to Consider The Divine Nine: Sororities and Fraternities on HBCU Campuses
  • A female African American HBCU student poses while smiling and holding her book in her arms. HBCU Rankings 2023: The Top 25 Black Colleges from U.S. News
  • Bowie State's nursing program students check a patient in class simulation. Top 10 HBCU Nursing Schools Rankings for 2022 by RN to BSN
  • 10 Websites for College Students to Find Jobs and Internships 10 Websites for College Students to Find Jobs and Internships

Before Footer

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive weekly HBCU news, jobs, and advice in your inbox.

Sign Me Up

Footer

About HBCU Lifestyle

The spirit and camaraderie of black college living is a lifestyle - the HBCU lifestyle! We're committed to keeping you connected to the black college living experience, bringing you the latest on everything, from scholarships and dorm living to Greek life and alumni giving.


Contact Us

Latest from the Blog

  • JSU Student Success Awarded $9 Million
  • PVAMU’s College of Nursing Helping to Cultivate Inclusive Classrooms
  • HBCU Go Partners With Award-Winning Movie ‘Freedom’s Path’
  • Local Initiatives Support Corporation Offers New HBCU Internships
  • Newsletter
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Shop
  • List of HBCUs
  • HBCU Rankings
  • HBCU Scholarships
Copyright © 2010-2022 HBCU Lifestyle, LLC. All rights reserved.
Contact Us | Sitemap | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Get the best of the Black college experience delivered to your inbox.
Your email address:*
Name:*
Subscribe to (select all that apply):*





Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
No spam, ever. Promise. Powered by FeedBlitz