Samad Gillani is a junior majoring in finance who currently serves as the vice president for external affairs.
Q: How did you get involved in SGA?
A: “I got involved in SGA my first year on campus here. Leaving high school, I was looking for another way to continue my SGA involvement at the Capstone. At Get on Board Day my first fall semester here, I learned about FYC [First Year Council], meeting the executive vice president, Sam Rickert, and he introduced me to FYC, the legislative body that is for the freshmen. I got really passionate about FYC. I put in an application and had an amazing interview and was honored to be one of the 65 selected councilors for that. After my time on FYC, I continued on as the deputy chief of staff of the [Madeline] Martin administration, and then worked as VP of [external affairs] this past year and absolutely fell in love with the work I got to do. As VP of EA, I got to have collaborations throughout campus, the city of Tuscaloosa, and the state of Alabama, consisting of collaborations with the Women and Gender Resource Center, UAPD, Druid City Music Hall, 9Round, and other local Tuscaloosa businesses. I got so passionate about my time and my work as VP of EA that I knew I wanted to be able to continue this work for the students and continue making the Capsone the best that it can be, providing all students with the resources to soar academically and thrive in their endeavors as students here.”
Q: What made you want to run for this position?
A: “Being deputy chief of staff in the Martin administration has really been what guided my journey into running for [the] presidency this year. As deputy chief of staff working on the Martin administration, I was a sophomore at the time, and I got to learn the intricacies of the executive cabinet — that is, of UA SGA. And now this year serving as vice president for external affairs on the Executive Council, I was able to learn more about the intricacies about the ways to optimize productivity, communication and transparency within the SGA. And now, if given the opportunity, I want to be able to continue that and take those experiences and continue to grow the SGA to be the best student-serving student body that it can be on campus.”
Q: Is DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] part of your platform, and if so, how?
A: “DEI is absolutely a part of my platform. I have a platform point called ‘student equity.’ I’m running on a platform of five things, but one of them is student equity. I think DEI is an incredibly important initiative for the president to identify. It’s something that’s on the forefront of every student’s mind.”
Q: What are two specific initiatives you want to accomplish in this position?
A: “Two specific initiatives that I want to accomplish in this position are first the application for two mandatory mental health days across colleges for this campus. I understand and I recognize that mental health is an incredibly important aspect of our students’ lives, and sometimes, as busy students on a busy campus, we just need a simple break. My goal as president will be to advocate for our students and make sure that they have all the necessary resources provided to them by the University to make sure that they can thrive in their academics. Another platform point that I’m really passionate about is called Al’s Advocates. Al’s Advocates is going to potentially be a mentorship with the newly developed Saban Center and the Shelby Research Institute, offering UA students opportunities to serve as mentors to younger Tuscaloosa students, teach about civic engagement and what it means to be an advocate in your community. I’m passionate about this program because it further integrates UA students into the Tuscaloosa community and continues to bridge the gap between our campus and community.”
Q: What differentiates you from prior SGA presidents?
A: “I think the thing that differentiates me from previous presidents is the fact that I’m a first-generation student. No one in my family has ever been to college before, and when I came to the Capstone, I entered the student body of 40,000 people, and it took me some time to find my place and find my family. After getting involved in SGA and getting to meet wonderful leaders across campus through different organizations, I’ve been able to build a network of people across this campus who are collaborative, passionate individuals who I know share my mission of wanting to make UA as good as it can be. The main thing that differentiates me is the fact that I want my story and my potential presidency to serve as a signal to UA students of the opportunities provided by the Capstone. Anyone can come on this campus and take the things that they do and make themselves as good as they can be. I think the past few presidents have done a great job tackling the problems of their time, and I want to take on the problems of today’s time.”
Q: Is transparency an issue for the SGA? If so, how would you improve it?
A: “Transparency is absolutely one of the forefronts of SGA. We are students serving students, and without transparency, there is no trust. My plan for increasing transparency within the SGA will come from a couple of things, the first being Executive Council goals. I plan on working with the entire Executive Council to make a set list of collaborative goals that cover all different aspects of campus life and community involvement. By creating these goals and making them publicly available, I plan on giving the students opportunities to hold the SGA Executive Council accountable for the things that they want to accomplish. Not only internally, but for all the students. Another plan I have is to diversify my cabinet with members who are in spaces all across campus to increase the perspectives and the network that the SGA has. Also, by incorporating the SGA newsletter into President Bell’s newsletter once a month and the SGA newsletter that we send out once a semester, I will make sure that every student receives SGA news programming through multiple avenues, making sure that they know exactly what’s going on and when it’s going on, and that they have any input in it as well.”
Q: What is one last thing you want voters to know about you?
A: “I think the last thing I want voters to know about me is that I’m an open person. I care about each and every student at UA. I’m a first-generation college student here. I understand and I recognize the experience of average students who may not go through the same things regular students do. I know what it was like to meet new people and have to create family and create a community. My goal as president will be to make that easier for every student that comes to follow. I encourage and I look forward to meeting everyone throughout this week, and remember to soar with Samad on Feb. 27 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on myBama.”
