Missouri Southern’s Student Senate acts as a liaison between the University and the students. It meets at 5:30 p.m., every Wednesday, in Billingsly Student Center.

Sarah Schultz, junior international business, management, and HR management major, said the Student Senate discusses comments they have heard from fellow students, projects they are working on, and how they can best serve the students and keep improving their experiences at Missouri Southern.

Schultz is the vice president of Student Senate. She is also the chairman of the Campus Improvements Committee, the chairman of the Vacancy Committee, and serves on the Athletic Committee as a Student Senate representative. She has been in Student Senate for two years.

            “Student Senate has impacted me in a way I never thought was imaginable,” Schultz said. “It has helped me grow as a leader and most importantly a person.

“The students trust us to represent them and that is not something I take lightly. I’m forever thankful I’ve been allowed this opportunity.”

            There are 24 students in Student Senate. In order to join Student Senate, a student must pick up a form in the Student Affairs office in August, and then get 50 signatures from fellow students.

Once the forms are turned in, elections take place and the student body has an opportunity to vote on the candidates.

If a student wants to join during a term, there has to be a vacancy. Those applications are reviewed by the  Vacancy Committee. Candidates are then asked to speak before the senators before being voted into Senate.

“My fondest memory of Student Senate happened back in January,” Schultz said. “I was able to attend the Missouri Governors Student Leadership Forum in Jefferson City with my fellow executive team.

“We broke into small groups and I had a lady in my group who is in a doctorate program at Mizzou and it was interesting to hear her perspective and see what other students were doing on their campuses.”

Shultz said the experience gave her a chance to speak at the Board of Governor’s meeting upon her return to Missouri Southern.

“[This] is something I will never forget,” she said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunities I’ve been provided.”

Student Senate is adding new social medias on their platform.

Reid Davis, sophomore EMS major, said Student Senate members believe many students don’t really know much about them, and they want to utilize Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram to start.

“The goal of these social media platforms is to give the Student Senate a broader outreach, and to make the senate more reachable for the student body,” Davis said. “Posts will include everything from events to question and answer sessions.

“We are even considering doing giveaways. We hope this will inspire more students to be in contact with their senators as well as learn of opportunities the senate provides.”