I have had the honor of serving you all in Student Government Association over the past three years. To say I am thankful for your continued support would be an understatement.

The decision to withdraw my candidacy for president of SGA before official campaigning had begun was not easy. However, I understand how important this election is for the future of SGA, and it must be free from political hostility and personal attacks.

Before I decided to withdraw from the race, I had a conversation with my grandmother. She asked me to recall being a freshman here, not knowing anybody, asking anyone who would talk to me for their vote. I asked them if they would have a conversation with me about what they envisioned for our school and SGA.

It was those conversations that I had with you all that kept me going over the years, even when facing enormous adversity. I have seen what works in SGA, but I have also seen the failures of SGA. After serving three years in SGA, first as a senator and now as vice president, I noticed that my vision for our school had become so clouded with the internal problems plaguing SGA.

The next president will have to address the many issues with SGA’s internal structure, but he must never lose sight of why he is there in the first place: to represent the student body. After an extensive amount of thought, I decided it was in the best interest of the student body and myself that I work to serve in a different capacity this next year.

Although I will not serve as president this upcoming year, I plan to still have the same conversation with you all. What makes Loyola so great is that while you and I might share different stories, I know our goals are the same.

We all want a stronger, more efficient SGA that works for the student body. We all want an autonomous SGA that stands up for what we believe in – not an SGA that’s an extension of any particular university office. We want leaders who will always be on the frontlines fighting for us all.

I stand with you, on the frontlines, because now, more than ever, we need to be united in our cause and stand up for what we want, or we will never have a serious voice at the table. If SGA is not our voice, then who will be?

I recognize that the image of SGA is the most tarnished it’s been in years. The next president must make restoring integrity and professionalism to SGA a top priority. What has become the norm in SGA just isn’t working. Students should never look to SGA as their messenger from the administration, but as their voice to the administration.

I assure you the job of the next president won’t be easy, but why should it be? The issues facing us all at Loyola are serious and are affecting real people.

Let me be clear, this is not the end, but only the beginning. My experiences serving you have only made me stronger and have increased my ability to work to solve the issues facing us all today.

I will always be thankful to the people closest to my campaign who have put their all into helping me over the years. To everyone who has stood with me over the years, let us all stand together and work together to build the SGA we all want! I do believe in an SGA we can all be proud of.

Blake Corley may be reached at [email protected]