Students from across Wisconsin gathered for the first time last weekend as part of a summit focusing on empowerment and advocating for their rights.

Student Power Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, looks to bring together students to give them the ability to address student issues such as college affordability, sustainability and women’s reproductive health, among others. SPA organized the summit that lasted from September 30 to October 2.

Almost 50 students from colleges and technical schools across the state engaged in team building exercises and created strategies to address issues like police-community relations and reproductive rights on their campuses and in their communities. SPA director Lamonte Moore said the summit would help students learn more about their capacity to make change.

“We want students to take ownership of themselves to build statewide infrastructure,” Moore said. “They will invest in themselves and then get other students to do the same.”

Student Power Alliance looks to strengthen student impact in Wisconsin

One of the key issues was shared governance. Students worked on developing ways to create shared governance groups on their campus and use those to advocate for student rights. They also worked on developing a “shared purpose,” which defined a common goal students across campuses wanted to achieve.

UW sophomore Adeena Guyton said the experience of being at the summit was powerful. She said it was nice to take charge and do something about problems that students faced instead of just talking about them.

“I feel like normally you have a conversation about a problem and people say ‘man, I wish I could do this’ but these people actually do something about it,” Guyton said.

Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison and Rep. David Bowen, D-Milwaukee, also attended the summit to talk to students about how their issues could be addressed at a legislative level.

Bowen said he was interested in working with SPA and students on police-community relations and raising the minimum wage. He said it is important that people use their political power and communicate with legislators.

“Not everybody in the state has the chance to make dreams come true,” Bowen said. “It is important that you guys put your flag in the sand before legislators start their talking.”

United States Student Association, which is the nation’s oldest education justice organization, is also looking to collaborate with SPA on its work. USSA began at UW in 1947 but took on a larger role to advocate for students across the country.

USSA President Breana Ross said SPA’s work will be important to Wisconsin and help build statewide power. She said it is exciting to see students take their lives into their own hands and make improvements.

Lauren McLester-Davis, SPA member and Lawrence University student, said the summit’s ultimate goal is to ensure students have the best experience and make their own lives better.

“It’s wonderful to see students coming together and be so intentional about building their own capacity,” McLester-Davis said.