Simone Sanchez

Loyola Maryland’s Student Government Association (SGA) is introducing a new theme for this year: “A Place at the Table.” The theme l aims to bring more unity to the school and attempt to have a deeper connection to the student body, administration, faculty, and staff. This new theme will foster an environment where everyone can feel both united and connected. 

The mission statement for “A Place at the Table” is to address the hopes, concerns, and goals of the student body while taking actionable steps to improve campus-wide camaraderie. Associate Director of Student Well-Being and member of SGA, Aidan Hunter ‘24, gave further explanation to the goals that this new theme plans to bring to campus.  

“Essentially, what we are trying to do is foster a more inclusive environment where everyone feels proud to be a Greyhound. We want to make the Loyola community feel more connected,” he said. 

SGA is in the beginning stages of working with various clubs and administrative bodies to implement the theme and core values into already existing events. They are working closely with the Counseling Center, Campus Ministry, Center for Community Service and Justice, and the Director of Club Connections, Reese Talbott, who will be working with as many clubs as possible this year to implement the new theme. 

“A Place at the Table” hopes to unite everyone on campus as Greyhounds and foster communication, clarity, and camaraderie within the Loyola community. Chief Financial Officer for SGA Alexa Junikiewicz ‘24 expands on how this theme will be enacted by connecting with the Loyola community. 

“Our hope is that this theme will be a guiding mission for our campus community this year–within and beyond SGA. We plan on using our theme’s three guiding pillars of communication, clarity, and camaraderie to intertwine ‘A Place at the Table’ into new and pre-existing events and initiatives,” she said. 

Junikiewicz shared how she and other members of SGA are planning to increase awareness of this year’s theme by expanding on marketing strategies. 

She said, “Bringing a larger physical presence to campus to make SGA’s resources and opportunities known and available to all students is very important. We are increasing marketing initiatives through the use of flyers, posters, yard signs, pop ups and newsletters. We are going to work with campus partners such as Campus Ministry, the Counseling Center, and CCSJ to unite events with this theme for the year and ensure students know the campus resources available to them.”  

Hunter also discussed different marketing tactics to fit into this. 

“One marketing idea that we were discussing is working with Starbucks to get stickers on the cardboard cup holders. This would draw more attention to the theme since many people, including students and faculty, order something from there daily,” he said.  

“A Place at the Table” officially launched Monday, Oct. 16.  A video was released on the SGA website that covers more information on the theme for this year.