Back to School Special: 5 Ways To Become Involved In Student Government This Fall

By Carly Madsen, with contributions from Ewurama Appiagyei-Dankah, Mariaeugenia Gurdian and Meghan Pearce

The summer is almost over and you might soon be stocking up on school supplies to help you excel this year, whether in-person or online. I know I am — I’m heading to law school this year! While you’re grabbing notebooks, highlighters, and a gorgeous day planner, take a look at the checklist below to help you prepare to get involved with student government.

Did you know that more than 50% of women politicians in the US started out in student government? Seeking leadership opportunities as a student can help you make a meaningful impact in your community and be a stepping stone on your path to higher office. Not sure where to start? Running Start has got you covered!

Know your why.

Even if you don’t have a detailed agenda for what you’d like to do in student government, start thinking about why you want to be involved — and then tell others about it! Even before you file the paperwork to run for student government, it’s a good idea to think about your community and what you’d like to change and improve about it. Practice giving that elevator speech to a few friends and ask them for feedback on how you can deliver that pitch clearly and concisely. You can even reach out to peers and mentors on the Running Start Community Slack to practice!

“Knowing your ‘why’ is the core of authenticity and something student voters might ask you about. If you don’t yet know your ‘why’, stop and ask yourself: why do I really want this position? When I asked myself that, I knew I wanted to give back to my school community, be a voice for my classmates, and build community during tough virtual times. I like to think that my authentic ‘why’ encouraged classmates to vote for me and what I stand for.” — Mariaeugenia Gurdian, former Georgetown Law Student Bar Association Delegate, current Georgetown Law Student Bar Association Chief of Staff; former Running Start intern

2. Research the various student government organizations.

Many schools have more than one student government organization. Do your research and find out what the different organizations do and the process to become involved with each. Perhaps you don’t have the time or inclination to run to be your school’s student body president. No problem! Look into other student body offices, legislative bodies, service organizations, and affinity groups to find the right fit for you. There are many ways to serve at your school, and each organization usually has different requirements and different time commitments.

“Almost every university will have multiple forms of student government, with each of those governments serving a specific function and/or community. To use my university as an example, there were governing bodies for each residence hall, a governing body that oversaw all the residence halls and residence hall governments, and a university-wide student government that encompassed all students living in residence halls and off campus. The scope of responsibility and time commitment can vary greatly between organizations, and acquainting yourself with each student government will help you figure out how and where you can best make an impact on your campus community!” — Ewurama Appiagyei-Dankah, former Student Body Vice President for Academic Affairs, Michigan State University; former Running Start/Walmart Congressional Fellow

3. Talk to people who are currently serving.

Current student government representatives know all about the process to join or run for student government at your school. Ask them about their personal experiences. What have they liked about serving? What are some of their priorities? How do they speak to constituents and represent their concerns? What advice do they have for someone like you who wants to get involved?

“Talking to people who currently serve in student government, particularly in the position(s) you are interested in, is the best way to understand which position you would like to run for, the impact you can have with it, and how the government at your school overall functions. While I was considering which position to pursue this year within our student government, I made sure to do that and it helped me decide which role was best for me. The mentors you will likely gain through talking to those already serving is an added bonus!” — Mariaeugenia Gurdian

4. Put important dates on your calendar.

Don’t miss the opportunity to get involved because you’ve missed a deadline! There are staff members at your school who are dedicated to supporting the student government. You can usually find out who that is by looking at your school’s website or calling the administration office. Make sure you confirm any dates you find online with a current staff member. Websites aren’t always as up-to-date as they should be! Be aware that there may be several important dates to know in the process to join the student government.

“If you’re eying a leadership role — in student government or elsewhere on campus — getting organized is an essential first step. You need to make sure that your schedule (especially your academic schedule) can accommodate the prep work that you will need to do to attain your ideal role and the actual work that you’ll be doing once you are elected or appointed. In the case of running for a position in a campus governance organization, you should make a list of key deadlines for the formal process like filing deadlines, debates, or election day, and ‘informal’ deadlines that you can set for your campaign, like when you need to have a campaign team in place or have a logo or marketing materials ready to go for distribution. For the duration of the campaign and throughout your tenure, you should always have a pulse on regular campus activities and key campus culture events AND show up — understanding your community is a key part of being a representative!” — Meghan Pearce, former President of the Denison Campus Governance Association, Denison University; former Running Start/Walmart Congressional Fellow

5. Look to your network for support.

Even if the position you are interested in doesn’t require a full-fledged campaign, you’ll need the support of your friends and peers to help you get you where you want to go. As an exercise to get you started, write down five names of people in your network (see below), and one specific thing you could ask them to do for you and your campaign.

• Who is there to support you no matter what?
• Who have you been afraid to ask for help from but could be helpful?
• Who has special skills that can help you in your goal?
• Who is someone well-known that you would most like help from?
• Who does not agree with you? How will you get them to listen to you?

“While you may be the principle or center figure of a campaign effort, you can (and should) think about how your campaign can be an opportunity for others to become more involved and heard on campus or develop their skills. For example, could your friend in graphic design make your campaign materials to add to their portfolio? Could your friend who is passionate about changing campus culture help you develop your platform and policy ideas? Make sure you have a support system but also be creative about how you can pay it back and forward.”—Meghan Pearce

Know that whether you win or lose, there are always ways to be involved in your school and community. Unsuccessful candidates are often appointed to serve in other leadership roles in student government.

If there’s an issue or cause on campus that you care deeply about, find allies who can help you make positive changes. Remember that the Running Start community is here to help you on your path to politics — don’t be afraid to reach out to Running Start alums who have been in your shoes on the Running Start Community Slack and LinkedIn Group!

Carly Madsen is Program Coordinator at Running Start. Her interest in women and politics developed during her first internship in the US House of Representatives as an undergraduate studying political science. Carly lived in Thailand on-and-off for 3 years, including a summer spent in Chiang Mai, where she led a research project studying Thai political identity. While receiving her Masters in Public Administration, she went back to Thailand as a Boren Fellow focused on gender equality and its relationship to democracy and US national security. Carly has experience volunteering on mayoral, congressional, senatorial, and presidential campaigns. She also enjoys volunteering as a civics tutor with refugees and immigrants through the International Rescue Committee. Carly recently moved back to Utah where she’s a first-year law student and is excited to advocate for women and marginalized people.