“I decided on Colgate because it was the most beautiful campus I had seen, and I wanted to spend some time in the great outdoors before going to New York City,” senior Matt Ford said.

Hailing from Far Hills, N.J., Ford manages a philosophy concentration and an economics minor while maintaining a presence on the rugby field, as well as holding the position of President of the Student Government Association (SGA).

Ford unfortunately was unable to compete for Colgate’s club rugby team this spring due to injuries. However, he remarked on his excitement for the team to compete for the second year in a row at Nationals this Saturday.

“It’s been very exciting to be a part of this club that I think is rivaling varsity sports in terms of popularity, attendance and creating a campus community,” Ford said, explaining how much he enjoyed watching the program grow during the course of his Colgate career.

Ford’s involvement in SGA began in the spring of his first year when he applied for and won the position of SGA Liaison. A high-ranking position on Colgate’s executive board, Ford’s Liaison duties involved overseeing all of the student groups within the Center for Student Leadership and Involvement (CLSI).

“I felt like it needed another year of my time to become an up and running position like it is now,” Ford said.

He returned to the position during his junior year while he balanced his campaign for presidency along with running mate senior Joe Trapp. Together, with the help of other SGA members, the pair created the Student Programming Coordinator Team, which threw several successful and well-attended Parker Commons parties, in addition to drafting a proposal regarding the Event Registration and Alcohol Policies.

“It’s good to feel like I’m giving back to the school almost as much as it was able to give to me,” Ford said in regards to his experience on SGA.

As for next year, Ford revealed he just received a job offer in New York City doing sales and trading for an equity research firm. Ford described it as his ideal job and explained he will draw on his experiences at Colgate, specifically with SGA.

Ford explained he will miss the Colgate community and the immediacy of his friends the most next year.

“I’ve loved it, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Ford said.