From reluctant leader to successful SGA president

Before coming to Mount Holyoke, graduating senior and 2024–2025 Student Government Association (SGA) President Julia Keane ’26 did not see herself as a leader. In her first year, Keane joined the Catholic Community faith group with her friend Lasya Priya Rao Jarugumilli ’23, who was serving as SGA president at the time.

Under the SGA Senate bylaws, one senator represents the Frances Perkins Scholars and each residential hall, student standing committee, class board, and special interest, including student clubs and organizations. At that time, the Catholic Community needed a representative, so Jarugumilli suggested Keane join her at a senate meeting to see whether it appealed to her.

“[Jarugumilli] kind of volun-told me to go, but obviously, it worked, as I stayed in student government for all four years,” Keane recalled. “I definitely didn’t see myself getting involved, and I didn’t think of myself as a leader before Mount Holyoke. While applying for colleges, a family member said, ‘You don’t have the leadership qualities and résumé to get into Mount Holyoke — it would be the equivalent of me getting into Harvard.’ But I applied, got in, and became student president.”

As a senator and later as president, Keane participated in developing the strategic plan, MHC Forward, in collaboration with faculty, staff, trustees, and College President Danielle R. Holley. Keane participated in a working group charged with identifying strategies to improve retention rates for historically marginalized and underrepresented students.

“It was fun and exciting to work alongside President Holley,” Keane added. “I’m only at Mount Holyoke for four and a half years, but the strategic plan goes for ten years, letting me play a small part in the future of Mount Holyoke.”

During her time in the SGA, Keane organized a panel and dinner with the Board of Trustees and, in Spring 2025, she rebuilt a committee that reports student data to the Board.

“My whole passion in student government was to get more interaction between students and trustees,” she said. “The data project is in its pilot program this year and focuses on getting more up-to-date and accurate data on the student experience.”

Keane’s desire to improve the student experience led her to become a resident advisor from 2022 to 2025, which allowed her to support and mentor first-year students. She helped them navigate the challenges of living away from home and facilitated conflict resolution.

“Being a resident advisor was really unique,” she continued. “I was in MacGregor Hall the whole time and exclusively worked with first years, an additional challenge beyond the role itself. The other [resident advisors] and my supervisors were integral to getting the most out of the role.”

Keane found community and confidence while working at the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center and Hotel as a waitstaff member and a supervisor throughout her time at Mount Holyoke, including during the summers. She supported board meetings, Family and Friends Weekends, Commencement, academic conferences and corporate retreats, and she trained and mentored other waitstaff.

“My coworkers were amazing, and I miss them,” Keane explained. “They were a constant while [I was] at Mount Holyoke. I went to my supervisor Regina Leigh’s house for Thanksgiving twice, they threw me a twenty-first birthday party, and they gave me graduation gifts. They were women who supported me.”

During her application process, one of the things that appealed to Keane about Mount Holyoke was its rural setting. After graduating in December, she sought change and moved to Philadelphia, where she is applying to graduate schools and jobs in higher education administration.

“I realized I really enjoy working on a campus,” she said. “It was a career path I didn’t know existed until I went to college.”