SGA president looks ahead, grateful for experience

Demetrios Axarlis is the current president of the Schaumburg Student Government Association and will be graduating this semester with a bachelor's degree in accounting. Axarlis, a student representative for SGA last year, was elected president this semester and is serving with a full executive board, which has been seen as an increase in interest in student life on the Robin campus.
 

Q: What are your plans after you graduate this December?

A: I'll be finishing up with my bachelor's degree in accounting and coming back to get a degree in criminal justice.

Q: What experience do you draw from student government and what can you take from it for your future?

A: It's been quite a challenge rehabilitating student government; there's been a lack of participation for many years. What I get out of it personally is that I know I am trying to make a difference for other students. I also get leadership and coordination skills, and [I] am able to manage my time and people efficiently and effectively, and I am also able to meet deadlines.
 

Q: Are these skills transferable to accounting?

A: Absolutely to accounting.
 

Q: What are you going to do with student government? Are you going to serve for next semester?

A: Yes, I'm going to serve for the remainder of my term.
 

Q: What's the plan then for next semester? Are you keeping the same committees?

A: Yes, the same committees will be carried over. There may be some new committees and you know, with a new semester, there may be new transfer students who want to get involved in student government.
 

Q: What projects have you been a part of personally this semester?

A: I'm on the facilities committee, which is looking to improve the configuration of the school for student use. I'm also personally collecting all my beverage bottles to show how much can get thrown in the garbage bins, which ends up taking space in landfills.
 

Q: Have you been thinking about the graduation ceremony?

A: Not really, because I've been so busy with school work and stuff.

Q: Are you OK with the ceremony being held downtown?

A: Yeah, even though I'm hoping one day it could be brought out to Schaumburg.
 

Q: Do you think that can happen once administrators sort out students' ability to start and finish their program in Schaumburg?

A: Yeah. We do have the Renaissance Convention Center at the Marriot a block away, which would be ideal for a graduation ceremony for Schaumburg students. I'm definitely active in perusing that.
 

Q: When you graduate, will you be looking for some kind of work in accounting right away?

A: Yeah, in the Chicago area, while finishing my degree in criminal justice. I only need 10 more courses.