"Appreciating our Advisors" By: Paine Gronemeyer

Advisors are a key piece to the puzzle at MGA. They do many helpful things for their delegates from coaching to making sure they are in the right place at the right time. They play a key role before everyone comes to Richmond, coaching students on what their roles are, and helping to create many bills that will be brought up for debate. Not all advisors have the same role, as some might be better coaches in a specific topic or role. Multiple advisors from different schools were interviewed, with varying levels of experience. Advisors were questioned mainly on what their experiences had been at the various MGA’s they had attended, and what they are trying to get out of this year’s MGA.

The first advisors that were interviewed were Carolyn Crumpler, Liz Waters, and Catherine Frum, who are a trio of MGA advisors with 5 years of experience each. They felt their main goal was “to make it a positive experience for everyone and make it worth coming back,” and to “empower students to fight for their beliefs.” A shared thought that the overall favorite part was the chocolate fountain, and “getting to see students outside of the classroom doing things they care about” as a close second. When asked about what they are trying to get out of this year’s MGA, responses ranged from “gluten-free food” to “make sure everyone has a great time” to “senators and house patrons speaking on what they feel is right.”

A seasoned advisor from Fuqua School, Jennings Custis, who has been a MGA advisor for 18 years, was able to answer some questions on his experiences at MGA. He was originally given his role as an advisor when he was in the school system, and has stayed with it since. “My main role as an advisor as Fuqua is to oversee paperwork and bill selections, and making sure deadlines are met.” Unlike the foody trio of advisors, Jennings enjoys seeing when “the younger folks pass something some of the older folk may not like, it surprises me! I think my overall favorite experience at MGA is when students see that their bill has made it through, when the students know they are successful it is a great experience for all.” As a common goal between big delegations, Fuqua is trying to get “A few folks running for office” and their bills passed.

Overall, advisors are wonderful to have. They make sure everyone has a good trip, and are always friendly and willing to help and talk. A great thing about advisors is that they come from many different backgrounds, and have all had many different years of experience, and their stories and friendships are ones to remember.