The University of Alabama stands at a crossroad. With the massive amount of expansion taking place at the University during the past 10 years, there has been an influx of new thoughts and ideas to the Capstone community. These changes have positively affected the lives of many students in our community and beyond. However, if our goal is to truly take the University to a higher level, we must take the next step. We must be willing to harness all of the energy that makes the Capstone great to truly make a difference on this campus and in the city of Tuscaloosa.

I am running for Student Government Association President because my passion for serving others makes me the best candidate to embrace the positive energy of our students and lead us into the future. My track record in the Student Government Association illuminates a rich history of serving others. During my time in the Student Senate, I focused on authoring and sponsoring legislation that was designed to help students while making our Student Government Association more transparent and accountable to the student body.

My term as Vice President for Student Affairs was focused exclusively on improving the lives of students on this campus. My mission was to take the interests of the student body and turn those interests into real policy solutions and projects to better the lives of everyone on campus. That mission was a success. Whether it was providing a space where students could receive education on what their rights are with police officers through SGA’s Know Your Rights event or providing a free bus ride to the Mississippi State football game through Ride with the Tide, my life for the past year has been about helping our students.

If elected, I intend to foster the energy of our student body and combine it with my extensive experience as a member of the Student Government Association to implement real change on the Capstone. This change will be both real and profound. Currently, SGA projects are conducted in such a way that many in our student body overlook projects that are designed to help their college experience.

In my administration, the SGA Executive Council will focus on larger projects that emphasize cross-office collaboration while reaching out to students on an individual level. This new way of handling projects and events will make sure the relevancy of SGA is apparent to everyone on campus, and those services SGA provides are easily accessible to students of all walks of life.

These projects are not merely abstract ideas that exist in a vacuum. Rather, they are real policies that will achieve real results. I will promote and expand SGA’s external scholarship database to ease the financial burden of the modern college experience. Additionally, my administration will team with taxi services that exist already in Tuscaloosa to implement an overarching system to provide students with greater access to transportation that helps them get around the city. Finally, my administration will create a new network to foster communication with all student organizations on campus to facilitate greater involvement and participation of all parts of the student body.

A vote for Hamilton Bloom is a vote for an energetic, inclusive and active Student Government Association. With your help and vote on March 11, we will take all of the spirit of this great University and transform it into the better place we know it can be. Together, let’s make our University a better place and leave for future student bodies a place where they can be proud to say “Roll Tide.”

Hamilton Bloom is a candidate for the position of SGA President.