UF Student Body President Ian Green welcomes students back for Spring semester

What’s up, Gator Nation?

I want to welcome everyone back to the new semester. I hope you all had a safe and restful break. I am writing today to give you all an update about what your Student Government has been up to this month.

Last week, the Accent Speakers Bureau brought John Kasich, former Ohio governor and former Republican presidential candidate, to campus. Kasich spoke in the University Auditorium on Jan. 23 to a sold-out crowd. Kasich talked about how we can each make a difference in our world.

One line that spoke to me was, “If you can’t make a big difference, make a small difference in a big way.” We should always strive to go greater, both on campus and outside of Gainesville.

Earlier that day, several members of my administration and the Student Senate traveled to Tallahassee to lobby on behalf of UF for multiple higher education topics. In Tallahassee, we spoke with members of the Gator Caucus on topics such as bonding Capital Improvement Trust Fund money (think money for non-academic, student life buildings), textbook affordability, state loan forgiveness, a fixed in-state tuition, more money for mental health resources and several other topics. We received a lot of positive feedback from our state legislators, and I am looking forward to seeing positive changes in the future.

Be sure to mark your calendars next month as SG Productions is bringing 21 Savage to Gainesville! SG Productions Chair Andrew Kelly and his entire team are working hard to put on an incredible concert on Feb. 27 in the O’Connell Center. This concert is also a partnership with the Black Student Union to celebrate Black History Month on campus. It’s going to be an incredible performance, and I cannot wait to see you all there.

As I am sure many of you know, Career Showcase is just around the corner on Feb. 5 and 6 in the O’Connell Center. The SG Copy and Graphics Center will be providing students with 25 free copies of their resumes for the big day. Students can also receive free resume critiques from the Career Connections Center, located on the second floor of the Reitz Union, leading up to Career Showcase.

Don’t forget that the next election cycle for SG is less than a month away! Be sure to follow the SG Facebook page in the coming weeks for locations, times and other information you will need to know when deciding where to vote. I encourage all students to make their voices heard and vote in the upcoming elections.

I’m wishing you all a great rest of your semester. Until next time and as always… Go Gators!

Ian Green is the UF Student Body president. His column appears monthly.