Joseph Michaels dove into Student Government as a freshman looking to make an impact.
Arriving on UF’s campus in Summer 2011, he familiarized himself with SG and the student organizations UF had to offer.
He became involved in Inter-Residence Hall Association and UF Freshman Leadership Council, but he said he realized SG was the best way to make an impact.
Four years later, he is representing the Swamp Party and running for Student Body president alongside running mates Tia Smart for Student Body vice president and Hadar Arazi for Student Body treasurer.
Born and raised in Boynton Beach, the 21-year-old UF economics and political science senior said he had no intention of getting involved in SG in high school.
“In high school, I made a decision that I did want to get more involved,” he said. “And I wanted to make more of an impact and leave something behind that made the university, or wherever I was going, a better place.”
As a senator, he said he found his passion for government on the budgets and appropriations committee, where he served as chairman of the committee for a year and a half.
He said the biggest lesson he learned as a senator was how to interact with students and understand their concerns.
Michaels said a main concern students have is a lack of study space.
He said according to a UF survey, Students Experience in the Research University, or SERU, students have acknowledged a need for more study space on campus for the past six years.
While in Senate, Michaels said he worked on gathering $10 million in funds for the renovation of Newell Hall into an innovative study space for students.
“I’ve been able to learn what students want and have already implemented what they want,” he said.
Michaels said as Student Body president, he wants to help students live better, study smarter, save more and thrive together.
“I think that not only do I have the experience, but I’ve been able to provide students with results already,” he said, “and that’s something that I really want to take that to the next level as student body president.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 2/20/2015]
Joseph Michaels is running to be UF's student body president as a member of the Swamp Party.
