The SEC’s slogan, “It just Means More,” isn’t limited to the football field. This month, student leaders across the conference will apply that concept to collaboration as they engage in the SEC Exchange from July 16-18 on the campus of Mississippi State University.
More ideas.
More solutions.
More improvements for campus life.
That’s the hope for UA’s Student Government Association, as it sets off to Starkville, Mississippi to share its successful projects and soak up inspiration from some of the conference’s brightest minds. The three-day event will see participants tour Mississippi State’s campus before collaborating with peers on ideas to improve student life across the conference.
“It’s extremely beneficial when we can all brainstorm ways to impact our institutions collectively,” said UA SGA president Samantha Simmons. “What makes this group so special is that every person in the room cares deeply about serving their peers. Our conversations at the SEC Exchange consistently focus on how we can better support students academically, promote mental and physical well-being, and enhance the overall student experience.
“At the end of the day, it is a powerful reminder of the true role of student government: serving the broader student body. Learning from one another and sharing ideas for how to do that more effectively is extremely valuable.”
Turning Ideas Into Action
The impact of the SEC Exchange is already evident across Alabama’s campus. During last year’s event at the University of Texas, former UA SGA president Lucy Bonhaus was inspired by a presentation on the University of Georgia’s Airport Shuttle Initiative, which shuttles students to and from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. After discussing the project with members of UGA’s SGA, Lucy was able to draw up a similar plan, ultimately sparking UA’s own Airport Transit Program, which started last fall.
“The Airport Transit Program is one of the best examples of why SEC Exchange matters,” Lucy said. “It immediately stood out to me because transportation had consistently been one of the biggest concerns I heard from UA students, particularly our out-of-state and international students. I remember thinking, “If this is working so well at Georgia, why couldn’t we explore something similar here?”
After returning to campus, Lucy worked with UA Transportation Services and College Break Bus to craft the project to fit UA’s specific needs. The program now provides reliable transportation to both Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during peak travel periods, helping reduce travel barriers for UA’s large out-of-state student population.
“Seeing that program go from an idea shared between student leaders to a service that directly benefits UA students has been incredibly rewarding,” Lucy said. “The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am so thankful to everyone who helped make it happen.”
Another initiative inspired through conference collaboration is free access to The Wall Street Journal for Alabama students. After gaining inspiration from peer institutions at last year’s SEC Exchange, Samantha worked with academic colleges across UA’s campus to secure the necessary funding to implement the initiative at the Capstone.
“The ability to tell administrators that several peer institutions are already doing something successfully is a very powerful advocacy tool,” Simmons said. “It helps us demonstrate the impact an initiative can have and strengthens our case for bringing those opportunities to Alabama students.”
Building on Success
During this year’s SEC Exchange, UA’s delegation plans to share its recent successes to inspire similar positive outcomes across the conference.
One initiative Samantha said UA plans to highlight is the launch of the Student Engagement Stipend, which was implemented in January to support undergraduate students by reducing financial barriers to academic, leadership, and involvement opportunities. Drawing from similar models at the University of Arkansas and Vanderbilt University, UA’s SGA partnered with the Division of Student Life to provide eligible undergraduate students with up to $150 to help fund educational and personal development, such as exam preparation for professional school, conference registration, honor society dues and more.
UA SGA will also discuss its new Try Tuscaloosa Campaign, which is an internship program designed to connect students with meaningful, hands-on opportunities across West Alabama.
“We are excited to talk about the things we’ve accomplished, but we’re equally excited to learn,” Samantha said. “A lot of the best ideas are things you never knew existed until you hear another school talk about them.”
As UA heads to Starkville this summer, the goal remains simple — return to Tuscaloosa with more ideas, more solutions and more improvements that will continue shaping a stronger student experience at the Capstone.