Josie Schmitt is a junior majoring in accounting who currently serves as executive secretary.  

Q: How did you initially get involved with SGA? 

A: “So it’s actually crazy to think about my freshman year about this time, I started getting involved with various campaign teams on campus for senators and more specifically, I really helped out with the vice president of student affairs campaign. And that experience, really, I enjoyed, and I knew that I wanted to get further involved in the organization. I then became the director of communications for the vice president of student affairs, and now I currently serve as the executive secretary.” 

Q: What made you want to run for this position?

A: “It’s [a] hard question. Throughout my time in SGA, I’ve genuinely enjoyed the experience that I’ve had, you know, the people I’ve met, the relationships I’ve made [and] the work I’ve been able to accomplish have molded me into the person I am today. And I don’t think I’m quite ready to give that experience up yet. You know, I have one more year in college. So I decided that I want to have one more year in SGA. Hopefully, more specifically, what interested me in running for the position of executive vice president is because I see a lot of similarities with executive vice president and my current term in office of executive secretary. I see a lot of like managerial aspects that they both have that I think I can contribute and aid the organization with, if I am elected as the executive vice president.” 

Q: What is the biggest problem that you see on campus?  

A: “I think the biggest problem on campus has to deal with communication. I think that there’s kind of been an ongoing issue within SGA and various groups on campus with a gap of communication. Over my last year as executive secretary, I’ve tried to bridge that gap of communication through the SGA newsletter and subscription service. This allowed students to subscribe to the newsletter, and every single newsletter that was sent out had a detailed list of upcoming programs and events that were students could attend. As executive vice president, I’ll try to continue to streamline communication between the Student Government Association and various groups on campus, through vice president roundtable talks. These would be talks open to various organizations and leaders on campus to come together and kind of communicate ongoing issues and concerns that they have, and help facilitate ways to solve these issues. And also, it gives the Student Government Association insight onto how they can help these various student organizations combat these issues.” 

Q: How do you plan on increasing SGA transparency? 

A: “So throughout my campaign, I have various objectives and these objectives or initiatives that focus on transparency, one of them being the SGA year-end review. So this would be a review available to all students on the SGA website, to go online and look and see what each position and each branch has accomplished. And also what programs are offered to students. I think one problem that within transparency in SGA, is that people don’t really realize the resources that are at their disposal that the SGA offers. And I think that this year end review can kind of help increase transparency. And also let students know that there’s a wide outlet of things that they can utilize and attend to kind of help overall better their experience at the Capstone.” 

Q: What is your number one goal with this position?

A: “I think the number one goal can kind of be broken up into various outlets, but overall, it’s to serve as a mentor. You know, being the head of the first year councilors, I hope to serve as a mentor and make that experience a positive one for all 65 first year councilors, while also enhancing your professional and academic endeavors. I also hope to serve as a mentor to all of the vice presidents beneath me and help them with all of their goals and initiatives that they’ve ran upon. And, you know, overall, I hope to serve as a mentor to every member within SGA. You know, I’d like to think I’m a personable and friendly person. And I think that I’ve grown a lot through my experience in SGA. And I think I could I have a diverse and useful opinion to kind of help people develop their own SGA endeavors as well.” 

Q: What is one last thing that you would like voters to know? 

A: “You know, I would love voters to know that I care. I care greatly about the roles and responsibilities that come with serving as the executive vice president. I care about strengthening this institution and I care about every student on campus. I also want the voters to know that I hope they join me in my efforts and remember that ‘Schmitt is it’ for executive vice president on Tuesday February 28 from seven to seven on myBama.”