Meet the Senators

Alec Palumbo

He/Him

Political Science

Psychology

Sterling Heights, Michigan

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS)

Senior

I have served as a Senator for the past school year. I also have past experience with volunteering, as well as an understanding and experience in politically-styled structures through my internship.

This upcoming school year, I would like to focus on legislation to improve mental health on campus. There seems to be a common trend of isolation and/or avoiding campus. I want to work with the Counseling Center and other resources to find ways to bring more students to campus. Additionally, I want to see if there are ways to improve the mental health resources we provide, including more counseling or psychiatric needs that Grand Valley students may need. It is my intention to create a task force and address this issue for the entirety of the school year.

As an upcoming senior here at Grand Valley, I want to work to the best of my ability to make our campus a better place in the long-term. I have been able to experience the University to its fullest and have seen its strengths and weaknesses. I have already served a full year on the Senate body, which has allowed establish great relationships with the rest of its members. Additionally, I quickly worked myself up to the Vice President of Senate Resources, which is essentially the human resources of the Senate body. This has allowed me to develop the chemistry and leadership needed to create the best possible senate climate. A positive climate will contribute greatly to the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the Student Senate. The main issue area I want to focus on would be improving mental health across campus. This is a huge issue for me that I am passionate about changing. I want to find any possible solution to the lack of mental health support students have, including a possible expansion of the Counseling Centerýs services. There are additional solutions I want to pursue, such as finding ways to improve the campus climate to make it a more inviting place for students to explore. It is important to prevent isolating students or making them feel trapped in their dorms. There are also other issues that I want to assist my fellow Senators in resolving, including parking, food options on campus, and improved bus transportation. There are a lot of incredible members that I would love to assist as we work towards a better campus. Establishing connections with the GVSU administration is also crucial for this, which I have been able to do. Letýs create the best environment for our students together!

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