Student Senate uses technology to reach out

UDM Student Senate leaders hope to encourage greater involvement this year."Senate really is a fun experience," said Anjalee Shah, vice president of public relations.

"The friendships you create will last, and it becomes a great support system filled with motivated, talented students that know how to work hard and have fun at the same time."

Over the summer, Shah and the rest of the senate executive board participated in the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference in Omaha, Neb.

At the conference, board members learned more effective ways of improving campus life, conducting meetings and spreading awareness of senate activities.

"Meeting with others who believe in the same mission was helpful for all the board members," said Shah.

"We were able to share ideas to improve all aspects of our colleges, and learned a lot from the activities we did and people we met," she said.

The senate is looking to recruit freshmen and get them involved early in the school year.

"We have really tried to publicize senate by presenting our organization at all of the SOAR events over the summer," said Shah.

Maria Ibarra, another member, said that the senate meetings are during dead hour on Tuesday - 12:45 p.m. in room 209 of the Commerce and Finance Building - so it's easy for students to become involved.

"Communication between student senate and the students themselves is improving," she said.

"We're thinking of ways of incorporating technology and making things faster and easier."

The senate has created a Facebook group and is promoting meeting times and other senate events by word of mouth. Members are also planning to host fewer but bigger events this year in an effort to draw larger crowds.

Ibarra noted that joining senate is not just for people interested in politics.

"I'm an English major and have absolutely no interest in law.

"However, I'm big on social justice and promoting empathy so in student senate, I found my niche," she said.

Shah has a similar story. She joined student senate because she wanted to be involved on campus.

"I have always been involved with leadership-related activities throughout high school, so I wanted to continue that in college," Shah said. "I'm in the seven-year dental program, so it really has nothing to do with my major."

Both said there are many benefits to being part of senate.

"Participating shows your dedication to the university, and the hard work that you put in does not go unnoticed," Shah said.

She noted that she has met UDM staff members and professors through the senate.

"I've also met many students that share similar interests as me that I would have never met if it weren't for senate because we are all majoring in various areas and would rarely or never have class together," she said.

Both Shah and Ibarra said they are involved in student senate to make the Detroit Mercy campus a little better.

"The senate is about improving campus, creating solutions and helping people work together," they said.

"I really believe if everyone helps out a little bit, together we can really improve all aspects of our college experience at Detroit Mercy," said Shah.

To find out more about Student Senate visit:

www.udmercy.edu/slo/clubs/senate/index.htm.