Meet Your CGS Student Government

This spring, the College of General Studies Class of 2026 elected new officers to represent their peers in the CGS Student Government Association for the upcoming year. We caught up with your representatives to talk about their CGS experiences and their plans for sophomore year.

Kate Dougherty, President

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I applied for this specific position because I truly want to better the CGS community. I knew very little about CGS after being accepted, but I have truly had the most amazing experiences throughout the past year. From my gap semester, to my time in Boston, and then my experience in London, this program has meant so much to me and has genuinely changed me as a person. When coming to Boston, I knew I wanted to be a part of student government in order to better the CGS community as well as help the incoming freshman during their transition.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

As President of the College of General Studies I hope to be able to support our student body. The main goal of CGSSGA is to truly listen and advocate for the rest of our student body, so as a team we hope to do that. We are excited to plan events for CGS that will continue to grow the tight knit community. We also are excited to help our incoming freshman transition from their gap semester to their time in Boston. We know that this is often a challenging time for many, so the whole SGA is eager to support our Terriers over their gap semester, as well as immediately when they step on campus in January.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far? 
Throughout the past year, CGS has truly taught me the importance of experiential learning. CGS prides itself on experiential learning. It forces students to discover how to learn outside of a normal classroom setting, and I definitely have seen the impact of it. Whether it is experiencing Boston and its deep history, or traveling around London with your professors, CGS does an amazing job of allowing its students to truly experience the world. While being in a classroom is very important at times, nothing beats seeing the Rosetta Stone in person or walking up the stairs of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London. The memories and lessons that experiential learning has taught me have made such a large impact on me and I will carry these moments with me for the rest of my life.

Harrison Steele, Vice President

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I was a member of my high school’s student government and I really enjoyed being able to speak out for my student body as well as plan events. I wanted to be able to do that same thing for the CGS student body here at BU and make everyone feel welcome at this school. I know I was very nervous to be starting in January and I want to help all the incoming freshmen of CGS feel prepared and welcome when they get here!

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

I hope that I can help ensure that all the incoming freshmen to CGS feel prepared for the spring semester and smooth their transition into college life. I also hope to plan exciting activities and events that keep the school year exciting and offer opportunities for students to both connect with their friends and make new ones!

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far?
The most valuable thing that I have learned so far in CGS is the importance of the environment you are in in your studies. Both in Boston and London our classes featured many opportunities to go into our community and explore different areas that helped contribute to our education. I think it is an extremely valuable experience to have our learning so connected to the places we are studying in.

Enoch Ngan, Treasurer

Why did you apply for your specific position?

Understanding and practicing responsibilities as a leader is an important aspect of my personal growth. The Treasurer role at CGS felt like a perfect opportunity to challenge me with a position of management, especially since I hope to enter into a business career. I have always been interested in manipulating numbers, but I also have a great interest in politics. Therefore, the Treasurer position felt like an ideal angle for broadening my perspective as a student.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

As part of the student body who has undergone through freshman year in CGS, the flaws and upsides of CGS have stood out to me over time. I would love to create a more unanimous and united environment for the next year’s CGS student body, and I hope the actions I take in CGSSGA will help contribute to this goal.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far?

Adaptability is the capability to be flexible to different circumstances that arise in one’s life. College comes with so many new roadblocks that many students like me have never faced before. Understanding how to overcome these new challenges is key to being a successful student at CGS.

Aidan Kerwin, Secretary

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I applied for the Secretary position because I wanted to have a more active role in CGS. I think that a good student government can help all members of the student body have a more fun and successful time.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

I hope that we will be able to engage new students when they arrive in the spring, and help introduce them to BU. I know firsthand how intimidating it can be to arrive in such a big city on such a big campus, and I hope we can help make that transition easier.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far?

The most valuable thing I have learned at CGS is the power of teamwork. Being in teams forces us to get to know our peers and learn to work together, more so than in non-CGS classes. I think this is a very valuable skill for college and life.

Abraham Budson-McQuilken, Senator

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I ran for the position of Senator because I believed I could improve the experience of students at Boston University and in the College of General Studies in particular. It is my hope that I can in some small way contribute to the Boston University community through collaboration with my peers and hard work.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

I am hoping to better link the College of General Studies to the wider BU community, create a greater sense of school spirit, and ensure that all students are able to thrive and succeed at our great school.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far?

I have learned that one should be curious.

Cole Nemes, Senator

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I applied to be a CGS Senator because I knew I had the capabilities to listen to my student body and enact their wishes. As President of my high school class, I have confidence that I can help lead my peers effectively and be a great bridge between CGS students and the BU administration.

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSGA? 

During my time in CGSSGA, I hope to accomplish at least one thing: ensuring CGS students have a safe, accessible, and confident academic career. My colleagues and I will do our best to make sure every CGS student’s voice is heard and that they need everything to fulfill their needs and dreams whilst attending BU. In other words, what the students want, the students will get.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far?

The most valuable thing I’ve learned during my time at CGS so far is associating yourself with the right people. The people that bring our the best in you, help you, and are there no matter what. Those kind of people are hard to find, but when you find them, try and keep them around as long as possible. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself in the long run.

Lucy (Siqiong) Wu, Senator

Why did you apply for your specific position?

I ran for Senator to get more involved on campus and better know my fellow CGS peers. I am excited to work with other members of the CGSSA as well as the Senators from other BU colleges. 

What are you hoping to accomplish during your time in CGSSA? 

CGS starts school later than other colleges, and my goal is for the CGS first-year students to transition smoothly to college life. I will ensure that all student voices are heard and concerns are addressed.

What’s the most valuable thing you have learned during your time in CGS so far? 

In Professor Fawell’s HU103, we learned Marcus Aurelius’s stoic idea that small and effective is equivalent to rich and productive. These concepts resonated with me during my overwhelming first semester and encouraged me to focus on the present moment. Learning to appreciate the little things allowed me to feel fulfilled from what I am learning in and outside of class.

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