My name is Wesley Smith, and I have the pleasure of serving as the First Year Council chair. Simply, our task is to both program and write legislation that will benefit first year students. As chair, it is my job to lead all First Year Council meetings, with the help of the steering committee and our advisors. While the task is significant, the aid of wonderful advisors and a knowledgeable driving committee has allowed us to hit the ground running.

Our members may only have a semester at UT under their belts, but they are aware of the great opportunities Tennessee has to offer, as well as the challenges we face. Internally, we have identified some priorities that we hope to focus on, including sexual assault prevention, dining reform, and information consolidation.

While we only have one more semester in this role, we look forward to impacting this campus in the years to come. Many of our members will stay involved in SGA; many will not. Regardless, I am confident that these individuals will make their voices heard and stand up for the issues they care about. We believe that Tennessee is the right place and now is the right time. The class of 2021 is the most acclaimed UT class to date, and each year we are improving academics, infrastructure, and student life. The future at Tennessee, and for first year students, is bright. Each day we look to carry out the Torchbearer’s Creed in our own lives to improve the UT experience for those around us and for those in the years to come.