For the past three years, I have had the incredible opportunity to serve in our Student Government Association. I’ve worked day after day alongside bright and talented students, forming friendships and making memories that will last a lifetime.

Since I first joined the Capstone community, I have always had an inherent desire to improve and promote the student experience.

During this past year, I have served as vice president for student affairs. In this capacity I have been able to concentrate solely on bettering the lives of our student body. Specifically, I have concentrated heavily on the first year experience program and have focused on making sure that freshmen have the opportunity and resources to be involved early in their collegiate life.

Service to students drives my passion to see SGA grow and cater to students on a new level. As I have often said on the campaign trail these past few weeks, the success of our SGA should not be measured in how many projects or programs we implement. The SGA’s success should be measured by the growth and improvement of our campus as a whole.

In order to set the SGA on this path, I have made a pledge to students called “The First 30 Days,” where I outline a series of improvements and reforms that my administration will immediately begin working on if elected as SGA president. Before summer break, as students, you will be able to see that this new standard of leadership will operate with you in mind.

First, we will improve the current Student Organization Seating process to make it more open, accessible and available to more students. We will also ensure that the application is online before summer break, which will allow organizations all summer to ensure that they have the best application for the process.

Next, I will launch a task force to explore the effects of the University’s plus/minus system and will initiate a program to provide students a travel option to away football games.

Immediately, I will work with the administration to launch iUA, a program that encourages professors to adopt online technology in the classroom. This will allow students to have a more interactive learning experience while providing more cost-effective options to students.

As an Alabama native, I am passionate about seeing our statewide workforce more diversified and capable. Through a partnership with the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce and the National Alumni Association, we will launch the UA Jobs Initiative. This program will bring state business leaders to campus to meet with students with a goal of retaining UA graduates in the state.

I love this university and this community. I’m inspired and humbled on a daily basis by the students that I meet. These students want more than a candidate full of false promises and the same rhetoric that we’ve heard every year. This year is different. This year we can change everything. Starting now, let us move forward together.

David Wilson is a candidate for SGA president and currently serves as SGA vice president for Student Affairs. Learn more about his campaign and platform at www.davidforua.com.