The University of Florida's new Student Senate president, Agrusa, 21, is everywhere, juggling a top governmental post, a girlfriend, a fraternity and leadership roles in several other organizations. "I'm very athletic and I love doing things outdoors like going to the beach, camping and sailing," he said. On any given Tuesday, though, he's commander in chief of Student Government meetings, managing a complicated agenda and keeping several dozen senators in order.
Approachable and energetic, Agrusa describes himself as the "typical college student" who likes to go out at night with friends, play sports and go on road trips. Before being elected Senate president, he came up through the traditional ranks of Student Government, serving as a two-term District C senator as well as chairman of the Judiciary, Transportation Planning and Textbook Action committees. Agrusa was actively involved in Student Government in high school.
He was class president of Tampa Bay Technical School, where he graduated in 2003. After graduating next year, Agrusa plans to go to graduate school for public policy and then pursue a career in public office at the state or federal level. Agrusa's activities on campus include membership in the Kappa Sigma fraternity, Florida Blue Key, Dance Marathon and the Florida Student Association.
Last year, he was a morale captain for Dance Marathon, helping pep up all the dancers who'd been on their feet for 32 hours. He said he is proud to have participated in the event, knowing all the money that has been raised will benefit the Children's Miracle Network and the patients of Shands Children's Hospital. He said he's put his energy into UF's sporting programs, too.
Agrusa has been to every home, away and championship Gator football game over the last two years. "I spent my life savings, but it's been worth it," he said. His sophomore year in 2004, Agrusa and two friends took off to Tallahassee at the spur of the moment for Florida's match-up against Florida State and, once there, were offered two tickets by a friend for the game.
"We rock, paper, scissored who got to go and I won. We ended up sitting in the middle of the FSU student section, and this was the day they renamed the field after Bobby Bowden, but we won, so we were pretty happy," he said. After being elected Senate president this year, Agrusa has set many goals for himself and the Senate, and has started working on them this summer.
Some of his plans include: * Putting the student body back into the Student Government, by creating a question box that will be placed outside his office door to answer any questions the student body might have about Student Government or anything campus-related. * Improving University Athletic Association's lottery ticket distribution process, by setting up an easier online process so students can secure both regular and post-season tickets without all the busy lines and constant redialing. But one of his primary goals, he said, is to get more students to the polls during student elections and also for the 2008 elections.
Although this seems like a lot to work on, Agrusa said his motto is a quote from James Dean that says, "Dream as if you'll live forever and live as if you'll die today.
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