It’s no secret that 2020 deeply impacted Gulf Coast student life. Since the pandemic arrived, campus culture has changed significantly. But a pandemic can’t stop SGA events in 2021. I interviewed Zenovia Goss, the Events Coordinator for SGA, to find out what SGA has planned for this semester.
COVID Challenges
Goss was elected to her position last fall during this unprecedented school year. From lower crowds to new safety protocols, she has faced many setbacks. “I like to talk to people and hug people and this is hard…but at the end of the day, we have to get through, we have to stay healthy,” Goss declares.
Goss’s main goal is to keep students safe. Last semester, she required masks at indoor events and encouraged students to stand six feet apart. Despite the challenges, Goss and her team organized many successful events in the fall, like movie nights and free food giveaways. Keeping up the momentum, Goss and SGA have plenty of events lined up for this semester.
SGA Events in Spring 2021
Spring 2021 marks another challenging yet exciting semester for SGA. Goss told me that she will continue hosting events that were successful last semester, such as movie nights. She is also collaborating with local vendors such as Tropical Smoothie to serve students free food.
Goss is especially excited for February, which marks Black History Month. “Black History Month hits home for me… that is a month I celebrate every year,” she comments. To celebrate, SGA is partnering with Gulf Coast’s Black Student Union to host Black History trivia events and more. Goss notes that many of the Black History Month events will be small-scale, but she thinks that “it doesn’t matter whether it’s a big event or a small event as long as it impacts someone.”
Additionally, students can look forward to the SGA barbeque in February, which will be held at noon on the 25th to coincide with Club Rush. Food at this event — burgers, hotdogs, and chips — will be individually wrapped to prevent the spread of germs. The barbeque will be big, Goss says. About 250 people attended last semester, and she predicts a similar turnout this semester.
More Big Plans
Beyond February, Goss plans to host a Faculty Appreciation Day in March. “I’m all about faculty appreciation because without them we wouldn’t know what to do,” she confides. Goss also anticipates hosting the student Easter egg hunt in April. The event will last four days, and students will hunt for eggs to find candy and gift cards. SGA will even hide special slips of paper in some eggs which will award students special prizes such as electronics. Also, SGA will host a drive-in community Easter egg hunt on Good Friday in the Gulf Coast parking lot.
Keeping Up with SGA Events
Want to find out more about this semester’s lineup of events? Goss recommends that students check out the Gulf Coast events calendar as well as SGA’s social media accounts for more info. Find the Gulf Coast events calendar by clicking the link here. Students can also visit the SGA room by the Student Union East cafeteria to learn about future events. Goss mentions that event dates are subject to change, so make sure to keep up with the calendar.
Goss has high hopes for 2021, so students should be on the lookout for future SGA events. Even in the middle of a pandemic, Goss and the SGA board are dedicated to bringing students together and keeping the Commodore spirit alive.
Find the SGA social media accounts by clicking the icons below.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Faith Dorr
Student Author - Spring 2021
Sarah Faith Dorr is an English major at Gulf Coast State College who aspires to be a professional writer. Her mission as a student is to develop her writing skills while serving others. In addition to writing for Commodore Waves, she is a student tutor at Gulf Coast’s Writing and Reading lab. Her hobbies include reading classic literature (C.S. Lewis and Shakespeare are some of her favorites) and writing the occasional short story or poem. She also loves keeping up with the latest Disney movies — Star Wars and Marvel included.
