I Am Your Senator

This project was created during the NACA Student Government Institute held at Marian University, Indiana. In a group project, we were asked to design a campaign to improve student life on campus. Together with my fellow Madison College Student Senate members and our advisor Cole, we started brainstorming. Since our college has many regional campuses, we realized that increasing student involvement was a key priority. From the very first day at NACA, it became clear that compared to other institutions, our own student involvement needed to be strengthened. Acknowledging this helped us focus our campaign.

The main idea was that students needed to know their senators and see us as approachable peers before they could feel comfortable sharing their concerns. I introduced the idea of “I Am Your Senator.” The concept was simple: display posters with our pictures and the phrase “I Am Your Senator” so students could recognize us as fellow students. My plan was to place these posters above feedback boxes around the campuses.

Another senator, John, liked the idea and improved it by suggesting that instead of just posting our photos, we should add QR codes. These QR codes could link students directly to our social media, Senate webpage, personal blogs, or emails. This would modernize the process, allowing students to share feedback more easily and anonymously, rather than relying only on traditional feedback boxes. The idea worked well and made feedback more accessible.

After presenting the idea at NACA, we decided not to let it fade away. John and I created our own flyers with QR codes—mine linked directly to my blog. We then brought the project to the Public Relations Committee, which escalated it to the Executive Council. A decision was made that every senator would provide a professional photo and choose where their QR code would lead. To ensure quality, we used the school’s free photoshoot service, making the process professional and enjoyable.

Goals and Outcomes

Help students recognize their senators and see them as approachable
Lower barriers to giving feedback through QR code access
Increase student involvement across regional campuses
Gain institutional approval and standardization through PR and Executive Council

Implementation

Each senator created a flyer with their photo, name, title, and QR code
QR codes directed to blogs, Senate page, LinkedIn, or personal emails
Flyers were placed at campus libraries, student service areas, and bulletin boards
Design focused on accessibility with high contrast and clear typography

Conclusion

The “I Am Your Senator” campaign helped break down barriers between senators and students. With a simple poster and QR code, visibility and feedback both increased. The project was officially adopted by the Student Senate’s communication strategy, ensuring its long-term impact.