Markysha Cannon
mncannon@valdosta.edu

If you’ve ever stepped foot in the Student Life office, then you’ve probably met Laura Rogers. Rogers, a senior intercultural organizational communications major with a minor in psychology,
has worked in the Student Life office since 2004.

She is also the SGA vice president for the 2007-2008 school year.

“I became a part of SGA in 2004,” Rogers said. “The SGA officers were in the Student Life office and I always heard about the different things they were working on.”

She became interested two years ago when then Vice President Jeremy Baker, suggested she become a senator.

“Since I had been a senator for two school years, I felt like I had a pretty good handle on how student government worked and what it is about,” Rogers said. “I was very involved as a senator and always volunteering to go to lunch with the administration and committees such as the Union Planning Community so it seemed like the next step to run for executive board. I love
it and hope I can do it again next year.”

The SGA is a very active and well organized organization at VSU.

“This is a very busy year for VSU and SGA has been involved,” Rogers said. “A big part of my job this year has been informing students of all the changes to our school and how we can deal with it.”

She talks with students daily about parking issues and the new student union. She has even gathered student concerns and presented them to the administration, such as parking hours at the mall.

“I submitted a bill last year to change on campus parking to 90 minutes and it is currently being looked at. I’m on the Union Planning Committee, so I am representing the students in the building of our new Union.”

Even though Rogers is busy with school and SGA, she finds time to do what she enjoys the most.

“I like to go to concerts and to the beach. Most nights I like to hang out on my porch with my friends,” Rogers said. “I like a lot of different music depending on who I’m with and what I’m doing. Mostly I listen to Metal,Alternative and Punk but when I’m with my best friend, we love to play cheesy ‘80s music.”

Rogers is from Marietta, Ga., and plans on attending graduate school after graduating from VSU.

Not only is Rogers a part of SGA and the Union Planning Committee, she is also the vice president of the Student Action Council (SAC).

“We are a group that organizes volunteer opportunities for students that are both fun and help our community.”

In April, SAC volunteers will be needed to help with a carnival on VSU’s front lawn for local elementary school children.

Many may think that being involved in a galore of activities is hard to juggle, but Rogers has managed to tackle it all while excelling in her school work.

“I don’t let being vice president interfere with my school work,” Rogers said. “My education has always been important to me because I am lucky to have the opportunities that I do. My mother is my biggest inspiration for all that I am doing because she is very strong and has gotten through a lot of hard times.

“The most difficult thing about being vice president is learning that I cannot make everyone happy like I wish I could, especially right now with the parking situation. However, I think a lot of people will enjoy all the parking we have in the fall.”

SGA holds weekly meetings Mondays at 8 p.m. in the Odum Library Auditorium.

“I would encourage other students to join SGA because it keeps you informed about all the important things going on with our campus,” Rogers said. “Especially right now with all of the changes at our school it is beneficial to know how to deal with it and what is coming next.”