SGA President Gabriel Borbon Steps into Office

Gabriel Borbon '23 steps into office as the new Student Body President for the 2022-23 school year. Source: Gabe Borbon ‘23

As students arrive on campus to begin a new school year, Student Body President Gabriel Borbon ‘23 and his new administration prepare to set the tone for a successful term.

After Borbon won a tumultuous election in the spring alongside Vice President Klanell Lee ‘24, the pair plans to enter office with a focus on inclusion, engagement and transparency.

“We’ve got a really good group of people to continue building upon what was going on last year,” said Borbon. The new Student Government Association features a healthy mixture of fresh faces and seasoned representatives to make up the 2022-2023 executive board. 

This year brings new territory for many members of the Marist community, now that the looming cloud of the Covid-19 pandemic begins to dissipate, promising a more normal college experience. “This is kind of our first full non-pandemic year,” said Borbon. 

Through the difficulties of the pandemic, many aspects of the college experience fell through the cracks, leaving the culture of Marist “undefined,” as Borbon puts it. He hopes to reestablish what Marist is all about, and set the tone for a year of both academic success and social engagement.

“I really want to build upon so many great things that happened last year,” said Borbon. This includes continuing initiatives that emphasize the importance of mental health, as well as efforts to improve the resources and effectiveness of the Title IX Office. 

Previous years have brought complaints from the student body about the lack of communication from both student government and the college administration – an issue the Borbon-Lee administration plans to tackle head on. 

“We kind of have to steer the boat in a sense,” Borbon said. “We have to make sure we stay on task and stay on target.”

Regular town halls will be held, allowing students and staff to share their questions, concerns and ideas about the college. According to Borbon, these open discussions will let everyone “voice their opinions on what Marist is and what they want Marist to be,” and ensure that “everyone has a seat at the table.”

Though these forums will be open to all, Borbon specifically encourages younger students to attend, so they can build on their vision for what they want their college experience to be for years to come.

School spirit is another area that SGA wants to reignite this fall. The pandemic left many students feeling disengaged and isolated due to the lack of events on campus and opportunities to connect with their peers. As in-person events return in full force this fall, Borbon is determined to bring the campus community back together.

“Hopefully we can work well with the booster committee and get more student engagement and students involved in sporting events,” said Borbon.

As Borbon and his team step into office this fall, he wants to remind students of the most important thing to remember this year: “Have fun and live in the moment.”