Meet the student body president of ASU’s Tempe campus

5 minutes

Hanna Salem is a senior majoring in public service and public policy with a concentration in law and policy. She is also minoring in women and gender studies and civic and economic thought and leadership. 

On top of all that, Salem is also the president of Undergraduate Student Government for ASU’s Tempe campus. Salem has been involved with student government since her first year in college and is very devoted to making a positive impact in the community. 

“I realized that Undergraduate Student Government has the potential to collaborate with so many student organizations and help student initiatives come into fruition,” Salem said. “I wanted to directly be a part of improving the efficiency and impact of this organization by helping my peers with their projects and vision for a better ASU.”

Salem is especially passionate about civic engagement and has big goals for voter outreach during her senior year. 

“The work we do now will be incredibly important for the 2020 election and every election after that. A lot of organizations on campus are doing a lot of great work to institute civic habits that contribute to a healthy democracy,” she said.

Salem spoke with ASU Student Life about her position in student government, her goals for the upcoming year, her inspirations, her advice for other Sun Devils and more.

Hanna Salem, ASU senior and Undergraduate Student Government president of the Tempe campus

What is your job as student body president like?

I oversee six directors in my department: internal operations, director of finance, diversity and inclusion, two public relations directors and outreach and support them on their events and initiatives. 

In addition, I attend weekly meetings with my executive team, biweekly USG-Tempe Senate meetings and weekly Council of Presidents meetings with the other four presidents. Throughout the entire year, my team and I will be working toward implementing the platforms that we promoted during our campaign.

What are your goals for this year?

Our first platform was to create a director of finance position. This position will serve as the liaison between the appropriations chair of the Senate and the president. The DoF will help manage the budget for the entire year and help make the appropriations process easier for students who request funds.

My team and I would like to supply menstrual hygiene products in all restrooms on campus to relieve the burden off of students’ shoulders and create a positive dialogue about safe sex and end menstruation stigma.

To support ASU’s mission of creating a sustainable future and being a global leader in waste management, we will strive to engage in conversations that will steer more sustainable practices. Our goal is to have all on-campus dining and catering services use compostable, recyclable or zero-waste materials and add composting bins to all residence halls to reduce waste. We are working toward appropriating more funds to clubs that host zero-waste events as an incentive.

To advance the quality of life on campus, it’s important that students feel safe and supported. We would like to continue increasing the efficiency of the Safety Escort Services, improving lighting on campus and engaging in a proactive relationship with LiveSafe, the ASU Police Department and Health Services and Counseling Services.

We plan to collaborate with the College Career Center, ASU Career Services, and the ASU Alumni Association to prepare students for life after college. Our ticket would like for students to receive one free graduate school test (GRE, LSAT, MCAT, DAT, GMAT) during their undergraduate career if they choose to continue their educational career after ASU. USG-T has started a pilot program to complete this initiative by providing students 25% reimbursement on one graduate school exam. Students are able to apply for the reimbursement here.

Lastly, we would like to continue working closely with the Civic Engagement Coalition and other organizations on campus to institutionalize civic engagement as part of the ASU culture. We are hopeful that we can lay the foundation for the 2020 election and find solutions to lowering waiting times at the ballot center on campus, informing students about all elections and candidates and raising the voter turnout rate.

What are your inspirations?

My favorite quote is “never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.” This quote is a constant reminder that I need to seek challenges and new experiences in order to grow as an individual and be the best possible person that I can be.

What would you say to someone who wanted to run for a position in student government?

It is important to figure out why you want to run and remember that throughout your campaign and during your time in office. Every individual in this organization has so much support, resources and a lot of power to positively influence their peers and community, and it’s ultimately up to you to figure out how to make your why a reality.

Why did you choose to come to ASU?

My original plan was to go to the University of Arizona since I grew up in Tucson, but when I was a senior in high school, I was the only person in my friend group who hadn’t applied to ASU. I was persuaded to apply and spent a weekend at ASU through the More to Explore program and loved the urban feel of the Tempe campus. Every ASU student I met had very positive things to say about their Sun Devil experience, and I realized that this was where I could envision myself for the next four years.

What are your long-term goals for the rest of your time at ASU and beyond?

I plan on pursuing graduate school and working in higher education or education policy in some capacity.

What’s your favorite memory at ASU so far?

Election Day in 2018, utilizing the on-campus ballot center and witnessing students stand in line for 3+ hours to vote was incredible.

What are your favorite places to hang out campus?

MU Starbucks, second floor of the Barrett Honors Hall patio, Secret Garden, Old Main lawn and the Student Pavilion