The Student Senate at Allen Community College is a governing body of elected representatives who bridge the gap between the student body and the administration at the college.The first meeting will be Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room. At the first meeting officers will be determined. These meetings are open to all students, including online or high school students.

According to the Student Life and Housing Director Ryan Bilderback, the Senate is in charge of three essential things: promoting, hosting, and working the annual blood drive, evaluating student life events, and handling student issues on and off campus.

“Anything that students are having a challenge with and need to let the administration know that they’re having a challenge with can ask the Student Senate for help,” said Bilderback. “The Senate really works as a liaison between the students and the administration.”

In addition to the normal agenda items, the leadership has several goals for the year including working with other student organizations to run fundraisers, get the students involved in the community, and oversee the creation of new clubs proposed by students, such as a pep club.

The organization is run by Bilderback and the acting president, Sophomore Katelyn Swanson. Swanson was born in Nebraska but moved to Phillipsburg, Kan., where she attended high school. She is a member of the women’s basketball team at Allen and is majoring in elementary education. Swanson first became interested in the student senate when her coach approached her about the position of president. This is her first year serving on the student senate.

“Personally this is a huge step out of my comfort zone,” said Swanson. “In my opinion student senate is there to make the school all-around better, and to help other students out if they’re having troubles on campus. Individually it will help me build the confidence and leadership skills I’ll need to become a teacher.”

According to Bilderback, there isn’t a lot of student participation in the Senate, and there hasn’t been for the past several years.

“I think sometimes students will get involved in student government in high school and not realize when they get to college that that student government still exists and still serves the same purpose,” said Bilderback. “A goal we have this year is to find a way to get students interested and have them see the value of it.”

When asked what she would tell the student body, President Swanson replied,“Come to the meetings; suggest things that you think could help us plan more activities. If you have problems with something come to us, also; that way we know what’s going right or wrong!”