Bucknell Student Government convened for their first Congress of the semester this past Sunday, Jan. 28th in the ELC. Welcoming new members and welcoming back old ones, BSG Executive President Thandeka Bango ’26 led a brief introduction before ushering the first and only external speaker of the afternoon to the podium. 

Taylor Lightman, Director of the Lewisburg Neighborhoods organization that launched in 2006, spoke to the assembled Congress about the upcoming Polar Bear Plunge set to take place throughout Downtown Lewisburg on Feb. 3rd. It’s the 20th annual Plunge, and Lightman hopes to work with BSG in coming years to turn the event into an “integral part of the Bucknell experience.” In past years, both students and town members participated in the annual parade and plunged into the Susquehanna, but Lightman’s goal is to increase the Bucknell student turnout to this rare event that blends the University population with the town’s. Tickets for this year’s Plunge are available at www.lewisburgneighborhoods.org, and, for a lump sum of $50, a group of any size can participate together. 

After the pitch for the Polar Bear Plunge concluded, the Executive President turned the Congress’s attention to the “fun stuff”: an orientation deck for all members to learn or review followed by a Kahoot designed to cement Congress members’ understanding of how BSG works and is perceived by the general student body. 

Each table of members also engaged in a goal-oriented group activity. On a large poster-size paper, tables discussed amongst themselves why BSG was important to them, what changes they hoped to institute and what the foundational purpose of BSG should be. Most of the answers boiled down to the same ideas build awareness of their campus and community, work to promote inclusivity and transparent communication with Bucknell and Lewisburg and serve the community in a coordinated effort to leave Bucknell better than they found it. 

This was the new Executive Board’s first Congress. Bango, BSG President, has office hours Monday and Tuesday 3-4pm, and Thursday 11am-1pm. Amira Faden ’26, VP of Operations, has office hours Tuesday and Thursday 11:30am-1pm. Eliza Morris ’26, VP of Administration, has office hours Tuesday 3:30-5pm and Thursday 11:30am-1pm. Gerty Hiesler ’24, Chief Financial Officer, has office hours Monday and Wednesday 11am-12:30pm.

Office hours are held on the first floor of the ELC. The next BSG Congress will be held on Sunday, Feb. 4th, from 4:00-6:00pm in the ELC Forum.