For the Bowdoin Student Government’s (BSG) final meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year on Wednesday night, student leaders included President Barry Mills. Members first attended the vigil in honor of the recent events in Baltimore and then passed the reigns to next year’s representatives.
BSG sought out President Mills for his final thoughts on the year.
“The meeting was an opportunity to talk to President Mills, ask any questions we may have for him,” said BSG President Chris Breen ’15. “And it was an opportunity to ask for his thoughts about BSG.”
Before the meeting and conversation began, however, BSG and Mills visited the steps of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art where the Student Center for Multicultural Life was holding the vigil. In a campus-wide email, Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster announced the event as a way to “provide support and a space for students to process what is occurring in Baltimore.”
“We thought it would be a great way to support the Bowdoin student body,” said Breen, regarding why BSG attended. “We thought it would be a good opportunity to go over there and pay our respects to those that may be grieving at this time.”
After the vigil, BSG and class councils came together and presented President Mills with a sculpture made of oysters by Ben Eisenberg ’17. President Mills was originally interested in purchasing the piece for himself at last fall’s art show.
“We thought it would be a great way to combine the coastal Maine, where Bowdoin students work, with [President Mills’] passion for the arts and everything he’s done for the arts during his time here at Bowdoin,” said Breen.
The meeting then came to a close as current BSG representatives said their thanks and wished next year’s BSG leaders luck for the following year.
“I think they will do a great job,” said Breen. “I think they have a cool opportunity to work with the new president and it leaves open the opportunity for improvement and change, and to get to know the new president in a more personal way.”