Sophomore Kate Hargis, former Missouri Students Association senator, was hired as the new deputy chief of staff for the MSA executive cabinet.
The deputy chief of staff’s role is to assist cabinet with various tasks and to take on any extra projects they need to be completed.
“I feel it’s a great opportunity to help out the student body in a different way than I ever have before,” Hargis said. “By doing various things, this will help me not only see students’ voices and help their voices come to MSA, but also help MSA give back to the students.”
Hargis began her involvement with MSA as a senator on the MSA Budget Committee. She also helped out Gunnar Johanson, the former student communications director, as an MSA Outreach coordinator alongside junior Alex Blodgett.
“Starting out in Senate was great because I learned the ropes of MSA, so the deputy chief of staff is a nice transition,” Hargis said. “Anything they need done or any extra projects that they need to put on my shoulders, I’m willing to take on.”
Haden Gomez, MSA director of student communications, said he started working with Hargis last year on budget committee.
When MSA reviewed the applications for this position, Gomez felt Hargis was the obvious fit.
“She’s goal-oriented,” Gomez said. “We’ve already hatched out many things she will be doing, and she’s already tackled most of them. From day one, we’ve seen her excel in every aspect that we thought she would be.”
Hargis’ goal is to help execute the original platform of former MSA President Mason Schara and current MSA President Kelsey Haberberger, which is uniting the MU campus.
Through her work, Hargis said she hopes to connect MSA with different organizations with each other on campus. This may include going to different organizations’ meetings when an MSA executive cabinet member can’t make it, or filling in other areas when needed.
She said she also hopes to continue working closely with Senate and the executives.
Budget Committee chairman Chris Hanner also worked with Hargis while on the budget committee last year and observed her work while on MSA Outreach.
“Her biggest strength is her drive,” he said. “She’ll set her mind on something and she will get it done. With MSA focusing on students, that will be extremely valuable.”
Last semester, while working on MSA Outreach, Hargis went around to fraternities, sororities and different organizations recruiting representatives for MSA.
“She made sure we had the best people in this organization and her leadership skills truly showed through that,” Hanner said.
Hargis also worked with Blodgett on Meet Your Senator Day, where students held up signs of changes they would like to see on campus.
“It showed me that there’s so many students that care and ultimately what MSA’s goal should be is serving the students,” Hargis said. “I’m hoping to bring that forward in my work.”
Hargis said she feels confident that she can handle the time commitment and dedication that MSA demands.
“I got overwhelmed at times taking on too many things,” Hargis said. “However, I’m pretty good at time management, and MSA is a big dedication that I want to dedicate my time to. That’s important for the deputy chief of staff, because I fill in different areas when cabinet is too busy, so I have no problem jumping into new things.”
Hargis said she believes her bubbly and outgoing personality is one of her strengths that will allow her to interact with the diverse personalities in MSA.
“I have no problem taking charge of a situation,” she said. “I love to bring out the exciting sides of the quiet people and get in depth with the more outspoken people. I hope that will help me with my position, since I have to dabble in a lot of different areas.”
MSA is looking forward to working with Hargis, both Hanner and Gomez said.
“We’ve already seen her characteristics come to life,” Gomez said. “(The executive) cabinet is extremely excited to have her on board, and we’re ready to forge through this semester.”
