SPARK and takeoff; meet the presidents of SGA and SAB

SAB President Mahogany Lowden (left) and SGA President Jabez Roberson (right).

Senior Jabez Roberson and junior Mahogany Lowden have a common interest -- serving the students of Claflin University.

The two were elected to represent the student body in different entities, Roberson as the Student Government Association president and Lowden as the president of the Student Activities Board.

According to Lowden, SGA and SAB are working closely together to better serve the students.

“We try to do everything together. We keep each other in the loop and we’re working on homecoming together. It’s important to have that relationship because we’re one of the biggest organizations on campus,” she said.

Lowden calls her SAB administration the Takeoff Administration.

“We’re taking the student activities board and Claflin into a new direction. We’re taking off, we’re getting on a spaceship and going,” she said.

The Takeoff Administration directly connects to Roberson’s platform, Lowden said.

Roberson ran on the platform of SPARK, which stands for support, preserve, advocate, revitalize and kindle.

He plans to “support the programming that we already have established at Claflin, as well as enhance it” within the 65th administration.

Meet: SGA President Jabez Roberson

Roberson is a “heavily involved” figure on campus. He can usually be found at the student center, the cafe or supporting an organization.

“I love supporting our student events so you’ll typically see me there, whether it be MOVERS, Call Me MiSTER, MISS, and our other orgs,” he said.

Aside from his SGA duties, Roberson is a part of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College, and is a spring 2022 initiate of the Delta Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

Roberson says his experiences have prepared him for the position.

“I saw a lot of things I wanted to improve and also refine. We have so many great opportunities here. I feel like the network that I built over the past years granted the tools for me to move forward as SGA president,” he said.

The administration intends to have “high energy, answers and many developments around campus,” Roberson said.

As a voice for the student body, Roberson encourages students to share their concerns with him.

“I’m not hard to find, I’m all over, and I love to connect. I just want to be the one to supply the answers, as well as the strategies, to foster these opportunities for our students. I’m here, and more than glad to help. If you have recommendations or just want to see some change, don’t be afraid to speak up. I think we’re moving in the right direction and just really excited for a great year,” he said.

Meet: SAB President Mahogany Lowden

Since her freshman year, Lowden had her eyes on a position in SAB.

“I was always involved in high school and I wanted that to carry out through my college matriculation,” she said.

She followed through on her goal by becoming an SAB representative and serving on the executive board as a freshman. During her sophomore year, Lowden was the vice president because of “the hard work I showcased in my freshman year.”

To her, becoming president was the obvious next step.

“I love student involvement. I love student engagement. I love my peers. I’m a big person of change and being a student leader, we deal with change. If I expect to see change around campus, I can’t just not do anything about it. If I want to be a voice for myself and everyone else, then I have to match my actions to my words,” she said.

Lowden is also a freshman orientation leader, a tour guide and a spring 23 initiate of the Gamma Chi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc..

SAB recently released this year’s theme as “The Panther Club.” Lowden says the name is a spinoff of “The Breakfast Club,” a popular radio show.

She plans on making her mark by introducing a biweekly radio show as a marketing strategy.

“We’re going to try to push those out every two weeks just to keep everybody engaged for homecoming. Homecoming is the big hoorah,” she said.

“We’re bringing back that energy to Claflin.”