KGCOE Senator

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Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Hi everyone! I’m Abigail Reigner, and I’m a fourth year mechanical engineering student in the BS/ME program. During my time at RIT, I’ve been involved in club leadership, including serving as the president of the Native American Student Association and American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and was involved with RIT Racing as lead suspension engineer, and then project manager. I also tutor math and physics in the Bates Study Science Center and play violin with the Game Symphony Orchestra.

Since coming to RIT, I have gotten to travel across the nation for conferences, spend a day with an astronaut, intern at GE Aviation, co-op at NASA JPL, and even appear in magazines on behalf of RIT’s Future Stewards Program. I recognize that I am extremely fortunate (and a little lucky, too), but I believe these opportunities are not exclusive to me - they are, however, exclusive to RIT. The College of Engineering is what drew me to RIT in the first place, and I want to give back to this community as your KGCOE senator.

It’s time to connect KGCOE! The college of engineering can feel a little isolated between all the departments, clubs, degree options, and sheer size. As your KGCOE senator, I would make sure resources for students - including 5 year plans and academic requirements - are up to date and accessible. I also want to help connect our organizations by holding club-council meetings to determine the needs, wants, and concerns of our student clubs and organizations - and how Student Government can support our clubs’ specific needs. And as our dual degree programs within KGCOE continue to grow rapidly, my goal is to connect these students through social events, as well as organize opportunities for mentorship within the dual-degree program.

Creating a hub of program/degree-specific resources within the college is important for students. As a student, keeping track of electives you need to take can feel daunting, but keeping an up-to-date list of classes that satisfy elective requirements can help make the long list of academic requirements less daunting. Typical questions and answers regarding academic advising for programs, updated class lists and requirements for major-specific electives, and other commonly-asked questions within KGCOE could be available to students both in a physical location and on a brief webpage. As your senator, I will work to collaborate with KGCOE academic advisors to identify how to better tools and resources available for you.

Caring for your mental health can be a big hurdle in college - being far away from home, taking rigorous classes, and adjusting to life on your own can be challenging - and that’s just the beginning of it! I want to organize specific events within KGCOE to cater to the mental health of our students, such as information sessions or topic-oriented talking circles. School goes beyond the classroom, and sometimes you just need someone to listen. To connect KGCOE, I think it is truly best to keep an open line and an open mind. I will send out semesterly surveys to gauge the needs, feelings, and concerns of our college. Ultimately, as your senator, I will advocate for the wellbeing of students, and develop tools and resources - so that you can make the most of your time at RIT.

Together, let's connect KGCOE!