By Grace Garfoot

After years of dwindling membership nearly sent the College of Media, Design and Information’s student government into oblivion, its three leaders gathered on Jan. 23 with a mission: bring their club back.  

Designed to be the link between media college students and their senators on the official University of Colorado student government board, the media student government has recently been struggling. This semester, after shifts in leadership, they intend to make changes that put the media college student government back on the map.  

“I just wish more people knew about us,” said Addisson Pribble, the club’s social media chair. “I think we have the opportunity to do something really fun and bonding for the community. We have all of these crazy event ideas and we want to bring the community together with them.” 

The media college student government works as the middleman between the student senator on the university’s student government board and the students. While their senators are involved in the official student government, advocating for the issues of their college and helping with the passing of legislation, the media college’s student government functions more like a club. 

Their meetings consist of events and activities for the media college community, such as bouquet making for Valentine’s Day or bowling nights, with the intention of building trust. Their hope is to create a safe community for students to voice concerns about the college that can be passed along to their senator. 

Since COVID, the club has seen a significant decline in members and participation. According to Pribble, this lack of interest has reduced the executive board from four or five members to three. Only two prospective students attended their first meeting this semester. 

“We feel like that would be our place as almost the student ambassadors for the college,” Pribble said. “We can act as leadership for the students.” 

According to President Hayley Forstot, this semester is one of change for the club as well. The media college recently merged with the Program in Environmental Design, causing the two student governments to combine  

“This year, ENVD is getting one senator to represent them and we’re getting one senator, and then next year we’ll be combined,” said Forstot.  

Though there are some concerns about the combination of the two student governments in regard to the specifics of who will maintain their titles and roles, Forstot was also hopeful that the joining of the two will result in more exposure, and members, for the club.  

“I like this club, it makes me feel powerful,” said Alexia Bailey, the vice president. “I feel like I can make change here, which I can’t really do in my other clubs.” 

Edited by Leah Meyer