Over halfway through serving her term as UK Student Government vice president, Noor Ali reflected on her experience so far and opened up about current and future projects.

“It keeps me busy, but I also enjoy everything that I’ve learned and everything I’ve done,” Ali said.  

Ali, a senior health society and populations major, has spent the past seven months working alongside Student Government president Michael Hamilton on several campus projects.

The two spent the summer getting to know UK administration and hashing out what they wanted their campus initiatives to be. They realized that they wanted SGA to be known for visibility and accessibility this year.

“You don’t always have to do something huge to make change,” Hamilton said.

According to Ali, SGA has embraced this concept.

When a student senator voiced that the lights outside of Whitehall were not working at night, SGA reached out to the Director of Campus Safety to form a solution to getting them fixed. SGA is also working to make campus, particularly common classroom buildings, more handicap accessible.      

Ali is currently working with the SGA director of sustainability to stock the Gatton Student Center women’s restrooms with feminine hygiene products. She wants SGA to bring positive change to campus in ways that make college life easier for students.

“I love that people have entrusted us to be their voice,” Ali said. “It is truly an honor.”

As vice president, Ali is responsible for organizing and facilitating UK’s Leadership Development Program, a program that helped her become a leader and showed her how important SGA is. The top 40 freshman student applicants will be selected to participate in the program.

“It’s essentially a stepping stone into becoming a leader,” Ali said. “It helps you find what you’re passionate about.”

Ali has used her platform to inspire others to get involved in things that they are passionate about. She recognizes the importance of finding things that you love when you go to a large school like UK and has helped many students find their voice through SGA.

“Noor talked to me numerous times about how becoming involved in SGA could help me make a difference. My thought process was that if someone who is so determined to change the world thinks that being in SGA is beneficial, then I should be involved too,” said Rachyl Harmon, a UK senior and SGA member.

Ali said she is proud of all that SGA has accomplished and looks forward to what is to come for SGA as well as for her personally. She hopes to enroll in the UK College of Medicine once she completes her undergraduate degree.

“Kentucky is my top choice,” Ali said. “This place has my heart and soul.”

The SGA office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in room A267 of the Gatton Student Center. Ali encourages all students to stop by.