Leadership Highlight: Alabama State University’s SGA President Landon Hale

In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to Alabama State University and did an interview with Landon Hale the 2023-2024 Student Government Association president.

The position of SGA president is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes in being elected by their peers to lead. Hale, who is majoring in Rehabilitation Services, is from Birmingham, AL. He is a proud Spring 2023 initiate of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

We interviewed Landon Hale, and talked to him about his position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2023-2024.

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 being SGA President is the work of our universities never stops. It is always something going on to be able to further our campuses further, whether it be with our academics, extracurriculars, or facilities. You truly have to remain dedicated for your entire term with the same high enthusiasm considering your student body is relying on you to make a change.

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

I decided to attend Alabama State University, considering the specific specialized programs my university has.

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

Alabama State University has helped mold me into a person I never imagined I would be. Coming to Alabama State University, I was the low-key quiet kid who would rather just be in the back. After about two weeks on campus of freshman year, I was very active and social. This is all due to the family that was created around me during that time. I blame Alabama State University for all of the success that I have achieved thus far in the previous three years all because of the tools and skills they have equipped me with.

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

One major initiative I led this academic school year was a blanket drive during this past holiday season. This was a friendly competition between us and Tuskegee University SGA where we were able to raise over 1000 blankets to various homeless shelters and nursing homes around the Montgomery River Region. This initiative positively affected our surrounding communities by being able to provide essentials to individuals who may not have what is needed but also reminded them that people do think and care about them. This also caused both universities to get in the holiday spirit and remember we can always be a beacon of light in our communities.

How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?

One of the biggest goals my administration has set forth was working to be able to implement mental health days on our university campus. This mental health day would be randomly selected each semester and classes would go virtually or canceled altogether. To this day, we would like to offer self-care amenities to students such as haircuts, manicures, yoga, massages, and more. Currently, we are still working to utilize this day in the future.

What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership to me is being able to lead in times when you are uncomfortable. Acting with integrity when no one else is watching you is a key component of leadership. The most vital piece of being a leader is being able to lead from the back, meaning making sacrifices to ensure the ones around you are succeeding as well.

We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2023/2024?

In the digital world, schools have to represent themselves the same way online as they do in person. All of the same resources, classes, and activities now have to be offered virtually and face to ensure students are receiving the same quality of education and experience.

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

Watch The Yard is important to black students and college culture because it gives a platform for students to receive news, information, and spotlights within the HBCU community. This is imperative considering it gives one specific area to receive all of the information we may be seeking around our institutions in one location. Watch the Yard, is also something positive that may come across your feed as lot of times, you only receive the drama or negatives of the things that are occurring in the world we live in today.

What do you plan on doing after graduation?

After graduation, I plan on attending medical school and becoming a sports medicine physician. After a couple of years, I plan on opening my practice and mentoring upcoming physicians.

We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Landon Hale for his work as the SGA president of Alabama State University.

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