Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, the founding president of Pennsylvania Western University; Dr. Susanne Fenske, Senior Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Student Affairs; Tony Mauro, Vice President for University Development & Alumni Relations; and Larry Sebek, Vice President for Student Affairs, attended PennWest California’s first Student Government meeting of the school year on Monday, Aug. 29.

After the meeting was called to order, Student Government Association (SGA) began their weekly agenda with a special presentation. Each week, SGA holds a special presentation highlighting various campus leadership personnel to inform students and address concerns. As each presenter shared about their roles, students actively engaged with Dr. Dale and administration.

Dr. Dale, kicked off the Q&A style special presentation which consisted of information about PennWest University, and the various resources on campus, with a central focus on the students. They talked about each of the departments that they oversee including: Student Affairs, University Police, Health and Wellness Initiatives, Dining, and more.

One presenter, Dr. Fenske stated, “I am very glad to be here and thanks for inviting us. We love working with Dr. Dale and I love making our rounds to see the Student Leaders. We hope to get to interact with you all lots more in the year.”

With this being the first PennWest California Student Government meeting since the finalization of the integration between California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, and Edinboro University, it was clear that commitment to the students along with their needs and concerns is still at the forefront for the newly formed Pennsylvania Western University.

“Keeping students at the center of our business is really what PennWest is all about,” stated Dr. Fenske.

After the presentation concluded, Dr. Dale stated, “one message I would like to leave you with today… is we take student leadership very seriously.”

If you are interested in becoming a Student Leader at PennWest California, consider joining the Student Government Association. Meetings are held weekly on Mondays at 4:15 p.m. in the Natali Student Center Rooms 206/207 or the Performance Center.

Students have the opportunity to learn more about SGA on Monday, Sept. 19 at 5:30 p.m. SGA will be hosting a pizza night for interested students. Students are also encouraged to follow @calustudentgov on Instagram to learn more, be informed of upcoming events and giveaways, and to view important meeting information.