1). Tell us about yourself. What are you majoring in, where are you from? What do you want to do after you graduate. What are you majoring? My name is Christina Nguyen, I’m a second-year student at Missouri State University, and I’m from Blue Springs, Missouri #GoWildcats! I am currently majoring in Advertising and Promotion and adding on a minor of Public Administration.
After I graduate, I am wanting to work for social change campaign agencies/organizations that work to advocate for important social issues such as human rights or equal pay. My dream job is to be the Director of Marketing at either an ACLU Branch or Fenton Agency, both of which work to advocate for unrepresented groups and justice for all. 
2). Tell us about your involvement in the Student Government Association (SGA). What position to you hold? How long have you been involved with SGA? What role does SGA play on campus? I currently serve as the Chief Communications Officer for SGA! It has been such a fun role for me to take on. I have definitely grown a lot in this position in terms of teamwork, communication, and project management. I have also been involved in SGA for two years!
I served as a Commissioner on the Interpersonal Violence Prevention Commission, led by Cameron Jordan at the time. He really was my number one supporter throughout my freshman year and helped me develop new ways to advocate for the student body.
I believe SGA’s role on campus is to represent and advocate for students at Missouri State by improving the campus experience, bridging communication, and being an approachable and transparent entity. Every single member of our organization is committed to doing everything we can to serve the student body because it is with their support that we even exist in the first place. If there is anything at all we can do, please feel free to contact any of us on our website or visit our office at PSU 123!
3). Tell us about the SGA 100th year celebration that is being planned. For the 100 Years of SGA celebration, we have constructed a week-long event where we give away free items each day to help celebrate the joy and cheer of our organization being around for a century. These objects vary from exclusive buttons and t-shirts to cookies, so keep your eye out on social media for more information on what you can get! All of these experiences will be located at the PSU Tables throughout the week.
To end our week with a bang, we’re hosting a social media takeover where current students and alumni will speak about the importance of SGA and what kind of impact it has made on them. This project has been so fun to plan. and I hope that everyone enjoys what we have in store for them.
4). Tell us about your involvement on campus. Why do you think it’s important for students to be involved on campus. During my freshman year, I was involved in Student Government Association in the Interpersonal Violence Prevention Commission and then Freddy Hall Council where I was the Publicity Chair and later appointed as Administrative Aide.
Now, I am a Resident Assistant in Freddy House (aka the best house) and I am the Chief Communications Officer in Student Government Association. I’ve always tried to be intentional about my involvement on campus because I want to find groups and organizations that allow for me to grow as a person while letting me continue my current passions such as advocacy and service.
I believe that students should get involved on campus because it is such a great way to not only develop essential life skills such as communication and teamwork. Missouri State clubs especially help you become fully embodied in the Public Affairs mission and create a more diverse perspective. Additionally, getting involved really helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life and helped me find some of my best friends at this school! Honestly, if you do join a club and figure out you don’t like it, you can move on to something better!
5). What is your best advice to our incoming students? To cherish every moment you get to have in college and celebrate the small things! It is so hard these days to be positive – especially in spite of COVID-19. Looking back on my freshman year of university, I took so much for granted. From eating in Blair-Shannon to seeing my friends in other residence halls, I never realized how much I would miss the small things in life until it was too late. And while I do understand why certain regulations are in place, I wish I had taken time to live in the moment opposed to always thinking about the future. Besides, these four or so years will go by so quick that you’re going to look back at your time at Missouri State and miss the college experience that you had.
6). What advice would you give to the family members of our students? To remember that your student still loves you, and that they are always going to appreciate the things you do! I know It’s hard to let your child go, but their desire to be independent does not mean they love you any less! It just means that they are growing up and want to learn how to be take care of themselves. And besides, you’re always going to be a phone call or text message away.
7). What is your favorite Missouri State tradition? Why? It is most definitely homecoming week! The past two years, I have competed in the residence life division and it has always been so much fun! Those days, you are oftentimes running on little sleep and a lot of coffee because you’re running around trying to get all of the loose ends tied together.
Even though it is such a stressful time, I would never trade those memories for the world. There is this one moment where I pulled an all-nighter with my hall council to paint a banner for the parade the night before the event. At the time, it was a bad decision because we all got less than 4 hours of sleep, but at the same time it was one of those instances where it really helped us not only bond as friends, but also become a lot more connected to Missouri State.