SGA is about Accessibility, Service, and Teamwork

This year, the Student Government Association (SGA) is committed to fostering conversation around community, accessibility, and generating engaging activities and events for Fisher students.

Fisher News Highlights caught up with the SGA Executive Board to learn more about each member and what they hope to accomplish in 2023-2024.

As president of the Student Government Association, Jenna Vinoya ’24 oversees meetings of the Executive Board and Senate, and sits as an ex-officio member of the University Board of Trustees.

“I hope to make a lasting change at Fisher this year! I would love to focus on student services and accessibility for the student body,” Vinoya said. “We want SGA to reflect what the student body wants. SGA aims to advocate for Fisher students and we want to be a safe and open space for change.”

A public health major with minors in data analytics and modern languages and cultures, Vinoya keeps busy inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to her work with SGA, she is a member of the Service Scholars and Honors programs. And, occasionally, the Fremont, California native can be found on the intramural volleyball court.

This year, Maddie Bowen ’24 moves from the director of student life and organizations role into the position of SGA vice president. In her new role, she provides support for the Executive Board and serves as chair of the Organizational Review Committee (ORC), the committee responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the organization, coordinating trainings, assisting senators with the bill writing process, and overseeing events focused on senator visibility and understanding constituent needs.

“I hope to identify and enact ways that students are better able to connect with their senators so that their voices can truly be heard,” Bowen said. “On the other hand, externally, I hope to work on a number of student-facing initiatives, but with an essential focus on establishing student spaces, such as a multicultural center and commuter centered spaces.”

A member of the cross country and track and field team, Bowen also serves on the Inclusion Council. She works as a tutor in the Writing and Tutoring Center, and as a member of the Honors and Service Scholars programs, volunteers weekly at the nonprofit law firm, LawNY.

Chief of Staff Emily Tollar ’24 is an inclusive childhood education major with a concentration in English. In her role in SGA, she oversees The Nest and supply closet, adds events into the Google calendar for both the Executive Board and Senate, takes meeting minutes, and works on a variety of initiatives.

This year, Tollar aims to focus on accessibility initiatives for students and find more ways to build bridges across campus.

“I hope students reach out to their senators if they have any questions or concerns as well as attend our weekly senate meetings,” she explained.

In addition to her work with SGA, Tollar is also a member of the Service Scholars and Honors programs.

A corporate finance major with a minor in economics, it’s no surprise that Leah Kucharski ’26 is the director of financial affairs for SGA. Her time with SGA began last year, as a First-Year Senator. In her new role, she analyzes and approves the use of student fees for 40+ club budgets. She also serves as chair of the Finance Committee to facilitate budget appeal requests and uphold policies for effective group decision-making. Additionally, she works in liaison with the Business Office, the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership, and the student body, streamlining financial processes and communication.

“In my position, I aim to help students feel comfortable with managing their budgets and encourage financial literacy,” Kucharski said. “I intend to collaborate as a team. Each individual brings a valuable and diverse experience to the table, yet we possess a shared vision to advance the University. Together, we can create a warm and welcoming environment where students have a platform to share their perspectives.”

Kucharski is an active member of campus, including Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed business fraternity at Fisher. She is also a member of the Honors Program.

As the director of student life and organizations, Brooke Chase ’26 is all about fostering engagement on campus. Her role is to support existing clubs, work with students to create clubs, and voice student life related concerns on campus. She also chairs chair two committees, the SGA Club Review Board and the SGA Student Affairs Committee.

Chase said that this year, several students have expressed interest in starting new clubs, and she hopes to help bring them into the SGA fold.

“The Fisher student body collectively has so many creative and talented students who have ideas that can make Fisher even better,” she said. “I want to support them any way possible whether that means brainstorming with them, going to meetings with them, or conducting research. Teamwork is something we value deeply in SGA.”

A marketing and finance double major, Chase is involved in the School of Business, works as a student ambassador in the Office of Admissions, and is a member of the Honors program.

Biology major and philosophy minor Carmen Filippi ’25 is director of academic affairs, coordinating all academic recommendations and providing scholastic information to Fisher students. This year, Filippi is focused on promoting the goals of the greater undergraduate community by working with students and senators to make academic changes on campus. For example, this year, a major goal of the academic affairs committee is to propose a defined pre-health major.

“Fisher students should know that we are there for them. Their goals are our goals. If students want change we are accessible; they should come to us to put forth that change as their representatives,” he said.

Suhaily Garcia ’24 is the director of marketing and communications, promoting all SGA-affiliated events and news. She is also a resource for any clubs and organizations looking to promote their activities through SGA channels, including their Instagram and Remind accounts.

As a public relations major, Garcia is no stranger to the importance of communication and marketing and she hopes to help SGA be a more approachable organization for students. A member of the Inclusion Council, she hopes to generate communication pieces that showcase campus diversity.

“The campus is changing drastically with the number of students from different backgrounds,” Garcia said. “I would really like for the students to want to engage with initiatives that focus on diversity and inclusivity. This is something that I plan to do through our social media and my communication with the students.”