A Conversation with the New PSGA Vice President
By Raina Roller
Angela Holness, a senior majoring in law and justice studies, serves as the new vice president of the Purchase Student Government Association (PSGA). Holness was elected PSGA vice president at the end of the spring 2026 semester and began working in early fall of 2026. She also plays on the Purchase women’s soccer team while serving the Purchase community.
Why did you choose to run for vice president of the PSGA?
I was just in a Senate [meeting] one day, and then we were talking about it, and I just felt like I could do it. Honestly, that was really it. There was nothing else making me want to besides the fact that I felt I was qualified. I really wanted the experience to step outside my comfort zone as well.
What is your favorite part of the Purchase community?
I really love the inclusivity of the LGBTIA+ community here on campus and a lot of the arts stuff that's connected with the campus. I really think it’s beautiful, and I really enjoy it.
What has been your favorite thing about being a part of the PSGA so far?
I like to learn about the school, and I feel like it’s given me a lot of good life experience with, you know, meeting people from different kinds of backgrounds and also just being introduced to the different types of services and clubs that I’ve had to learn about since I’m in charge of the services on campus.
What is your biggest goal for this school year as the PSGA vice president?
The Stood situation has been hard for me personally because I used to go to the Stood almost every weekend before I was vice president. So, it’s just like, I understand completely how everyone’s feeling, and with being in the position of vice president, my goal is to have a better relationship with the University Police Department, so we could have a better relationship in general because I understand all their comments and their concerns, and their annoyances; it’s valid. I really hope it doesn’t continue on like that.
What has been your favorite part of being the PSGA vice president so far?
My favorite part has been being able to help people. I organize the keys, and I got everyone their keys in the beginning of the semester and helped out Students of Caribbean Ancestry [SOCA]. It just felt really good to be able to do something about that, and it’s nice to help everyone, and kind of like meet people that way too, because I’m not really that sociable, so I enjoy that. Also, just being able to get to know more people and get more out of my comfort zone.
How do you hope to use your experience in your role beyond Purchase?
I hope that I can delegate because I’m the human resources [HR] person, so I hope I’m able to take that skill. I work with children, so I am pretty good with that kind of stuff, but I hope I can take away being in an office and being able to be in a position where I’m in charge of people and on top of things. Really, being an adult is being busy and not having time for anything but still having to have time for everything. So, I’m happy that I’m able to get a little taste of it, so I know what I need and what I don’t need to do. I feel like that’s what I would hope for, since being a lawyer would be basically that life.
How do you think you could help the PSGA help more students know more about the PSGA?
I always tell them to post on [the PSGA] Instagram. We’re gonna do takeovers on the Instagram and do a day in the life. And just like that, I told them how I didn’t really know anything about it. So yeah, I would do that in the future, but we’re just getting our old pictures up on the Instagram.
What is something that you have experienced in the role that you would not have expected when you first ran?
I didn’t expect the Stood situation. I’m still centered around that, but it was a big thing for me because I did not think this would happen at all. I genuinely did not think this was something that they could do, like capping [the number of students allowed in the Stood at once at 400]. I genuinely thought they were a separate kind of entity, so before I ran, I didn’t know I would necessarily have to be talking with the chief of police.
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