Colleges

Leadership Highlight: Kennesaw State University’s SGA President Tariq Bradford

In an effort to highlight the people who are leading graduate universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to Kennesaw State University and did an interview with Tariq Bradford the Student Government Association president.

The position of SGA president of a is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes. Bradford, who is majoring in Business Management & Marketing, is a current senior and a Fall 2019 initiate of Kappa Alpha Psi.

We interviewed Bradford, and talked to him about his position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2020.

Read the full interview below.

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far?

The biggest thing I have learned while being SGA President is that just because you may not see immediate results doesn’t mean administration isn’t working to serve it’s students.

What made you decide to attend Kennesaw State University for undergrad?

I decided to attend KSU because it was the best financial option for my family due to receiving a combination of academic scholarships & athletic aid from Track & Field.

How has Kennesaw State University molded you into the person you are today?

The main way Kennesaw State has molded me into the man I am today is by helping me strip away a lot of biases and stereotypes I prescribed too growing up. Being an Owl has diversified my perspective and given me a seat at the table with many influential individuals to enact actual change.

What specific initiatives have you headed up this year and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?

The focuses of our current administration are visibility and actionable change. When I joined this organization, there was a lack of involvement with administration to include us in decision making and trust from students to advocate and enhance their experiences. Under my leadership we have rebranded ourselves as an intentional body and instituted semesterly personal projects where Senators strive to affect the current state of the University.

How is your school currently responding to the coronavirus and what is your SGA administration doing to help students?

Similarly to the other schools in the University Systems of Georgia, Kennesaw transitioned to online learning for the remainder of the spring and summer semesters at this point on campus personnel has also been restricted. Our Senate has selected three main platforms to focus on for the rest of the school year. A new normal has been established whereas all further business is mostly conducted on Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

How is the coronavirus affecting SGA elections for next year?

The main way the coronavirus impacted our election process is when the transition to online learning happened during the week of voting. A second struggle we faced was advertising for vacant Eboard and Senate positions that are assigned through appointments.

What does leadership mean to you?

To me leadership is empowering and enabling the members of a team to achieve a goal in the most efficient manner.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2020?

In this digital age I believe schools should do their best embody their campus culture online. Kennesaw began the year with a campaign of showcasing students following a new vision statement. They went across campus highlighting students to see how to “Find Your Wings”.

Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture?

Watch The Yard does a great job at promoting the achievements of individuals in an effort to inspire action across college campuses. The platform also deconstructs traditional notions that you need to possess certain attributes to fit specific D9 organizations.

What do you plan on doing after graduation?

After graduation I plan on pursuing a career corporate management or management within the music industry. My passion for marketing and entrepreneurship will come into play once I begin laying the groundwork for opening local businesses in the neighborhood I grew up in. Creating local businesses and investing back into the community that raised me is my ultimate goal.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Tariq Bradford for his work as the SGA president of Kennesaw State University .