Feature: Madison Hart, giving students athletes a voice

Everything happens for a reason, and chance brought freshman early childhood education major Madison Hart to the perfect fit: the Student Government Association’s (SGA) athletics senator.

Hart, a cross country team member for USC Aiken, has plenty of experience being a student athlete, as she has been running cross country and track since her 7th grade year. This experience gives Hart a profound understanding of what it takes to be a student athlete, thus making her job as the athletics senator more efficient.

“I communicate with our student athletes on any problems they could be having or things they wish would be done differently. I voice those concerns to Eva [Slagle, SGA president] and Ahmed [Samaha, vice chancellor of student affairs] to see if they can make things better,” Hart said.

Hart explained that SGA has helped her get more informed with events that are happening around campus, allowing her to get more involved with the students as well as the school. She also saw that the students really had a voice in what happens on campus and realized that the faculty really wants to make USC Aiken the best place for its students.

As an SGA senator, Hart works in tandem with the other members of the organization through various methods, such as spreading the word for meetings on social media or through the school bulletins. While senators have their own specific focus, Hart explained that it is a cooperative effort that helps keep everything in shape.

After her time at USC Aiken, Hart plans to pursue a career in education. Hart explained, “I’m in between wanting to be a kindergarten teacher or a special education teacher. My own experiences with going through school with learning disabilities helps me understand those students more and connect with them.”

Hart, along with the rest of the members of the SGA, are always happy to hear any concerns a student can have. Students can find the members of the SGA in their office in the Student Activity Center (SAC).

"Get more involved!” were Hart’s closing words to the student body, and her school spirit and tenacity make her a wonderful representative of USC Aiken.