In the spring of my freshman year, I stumbled upon the University Senate. Unaware of how the Senate actually functioned - thinking it was somehow an extension of the Student Government Association - I ran for the position of BSOS Undergraduate Senator and won. It ended up being one of the best decisions I have made during my time at the University.
While the University Senate is an institution that provides opportunities unlike any other for students at Maryland, it is generally misunderstood and unknown by the larger student body. During my time, I was a part of important pieces of policy that will affect our campus for the coming years, such as Good Samaritan Protocol - helping revive it from the dead to seeing the Senate pass it almost unanimously.
Yet the Senate is more than just policies and voting - the relationships I have made with other students, faculty and staff are just as rewarding. Some of my strongest faculty relationships have come out of my two years in the Senate and the opportunities it has allowed me.
I left the Senate because I chose to study abroad just as I was beginning to really understand this interesting body. But my two years at the University Senate will always be an important part of my Maryland experience. Hopefully, I can add a third when I return for my Masters.