Q&A: Incoming SGA senators

     Following the Student Government Association elections, several candidates have been elected to new roles in SGA, bringing their own plans and goals to their positions. 

Editor’s note: Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. 

     Senior business administration major Nika Lowery (she/her/hers) is senator of business. 

What made you want to run for SGA? 

     I ran for student government because I want to be more involved / connected with the student body and make positive changes. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your term? 

     During my term I hope to meet as many UCCS students as possible, make friends, and encourage the student body to become more aware of and involved in SGA as well as campus culture.  

What do you hope to change or improve at UCCS? 

     Ideally, I would like to keep student fees from increasing further. I would like to improve attitudes around tolerance, equity, and equality. I would like to unite the student body around the common principles of humility and respect for one another despite moral or physical differences. I would like to make student outreach to their school senators a priority if issues arise. I would like the entire student body to know that they are represented by a group of amazing people who are dedicated to listening to student body opinions.  

Freshman undecided major Samrawit Kopessa (she/her/hers) is senator of LAS. Photo by Lillian Davis. 

What are your future goals? 

     A long-held ambition of mine has been to become a doctor of some sort. I’ve wanted to be a pediatrician for a long time; I’ve noticed that I enjoy working with children and found that in the last few years, they’ve gravitated towards me. I want to give back to Ethiopia and other underdeveloped countries, so I can take the skills I’ve gained in America and return them to Ethiopia and other countries in need.  

     I’ve seen people’s hardships, and not having the ability or money to go to a Clinic or Hospital when needed is incredibly saddening. Leading me to want to build a clinic or hospital in the future and bring supplies back from the United States for individuals who can’t afford to go to standard hospitals can go to my clinic for an affordable cost depending on their needs. 

What made you want to run for SGA? 

     As a member of SGA in the 2022-2023 year, I will be able to further strengthen my leadership skills, as there is always room for growth and development. These skills will help me become a successful leader and make a positive impact in the future.  

     Because I realize the value of student representation and advocacy, I believe that student representation and advocacy inside administration is vital to a successful university. I am capable of efficiently communicating as a link between students and administration as a result of my prior skills and experience, which is why I ran for Senator of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.  

     I’m also in the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences since I’m a pre-med student and wanted to work in an area that focuses on something I’m passionate about. I believed that I would be successful in serving as not only a student, but also as an individual who is aware of what is going on at UCCS and sets the finest example for the university. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your term? 

     I hope to advocate for as many different groups of students as possible and make a difference in issues that don’t get the attention they deserve! Make every effort to be the most effective advocate for students’ issues and interests! 

What do you hope to change or improve at UCCS? 

     As a woman of color, I believe it is critical to have diverse representation in organizations such as Student Government. This year’s election saw a more diverse range of students who applied to run, which is fantastic to see. I hope that in the coming year, more people who are passionate about running will be able to run without fear since there aren’t many others who look like them! I also wish to improve the relationship between students and student government by promoting the idea that if students have any complaints or suggestions, we are able to communicate them to administrators, as more student representation and advocacy is critical to a successful university! 

Junior criminal justice major Xavier Deloatch is an SGA student champion. Photo by Lillian Davis. 

What are your future goals? 

     My future career goal is to become a crime scene investigator, but I also want to specialize in a career field that also gives back to our nation and make the world a better place to live in. 

What made you want to run for SGA? 

     What made me run for SGA is just being a student voice and to also spread awareness to people who are unaware of what SGA is. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your term? 

     I hope to accomplish finishing my term with a 4.0 and always finding ways to grow as an individual. 

What do you hope to change or improve at UCCS? 

     I hope to change and improve inclusion and equality. As a university we all come from different backgrounds, we all aren’t the same, but we all need to learn that it’s okay to be different and continue to be yourself and love who you were meant to be.