Students at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) may recognize a familiar face around the Campus Beautiful more often. Camden Ritchie, a risk management and insurance senior at EKU, was elected by his fellow Colonels as the new Student Government Association (SGA) president.
Ritchie, from Franklin County, joined SGA after seeing the changes the organization helps to initiate on campus. Wanting to continue to make a positive impact on the campus community, Ritchie decided to run for SGA president last spring.
“There's such a community here at EKU… the people who get involved, the people that you see on your walk every day. It starts to feel like you know everybody on campus,” Ritchie said. “I really like that the faculty and staff listen to students, and it actually makes campus better.”
Ritchie continued, “The reason I wanted to be president was to make sure that what the students want reaches the administration. As president, I'm the voice of the students. I want to ensure that every voice is heard no matter what their background is.”
EKU’s SGA advocates for students’ interests and well-being while facilitating a well-rounded college experience. SGA comprises four branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, the judicial branch and the campus activity board. The executive branch is made up of students who were either elected, like Ritchie, or appointed. The legislative branch consists of the student senate. They seek out areas of improvement on campus, write and pass bills, and send the bills to the SGA president’s desk. The judicial branch oversees student court cases and interprets the SGA constitution and bylaws. The campus activity board collaborates with university departments to put on fun events and activities throughout the year for EKU students.
Ritchie’s first goal as president is to have more students participate in SGA. He encourages incoming freshmen to get involved.
“You work with a bunch of other different student organizations on campus, so it's a great way to meet people and get introduced to other organizations,” he said. “But even if SGA is not your thing, almost every major will have an organization that you can get involved in. It's not hard to find the organizations that will be best for you. Once you join them, it really helps improve your time here at EKU.”
Within the first few weeks of classes starting, EKU’s SGA will be filling vacancies within the organization. SGA welcomes students who want to join any branch and find their place in the organization.
EKU is home to more than 200 student organizations, offering students a variety of opportunities to connect with classmates and the campus community. Student organizations, such as SGA, along with events and activities through the Exceptional Eastern Experience (E3) and an abundance of campus resources, support student belonging, learning and success at EKU.