The founders of ASGA have been working with Student Government and student leaders for more than 35 years. But ASGA was founded in March 2003 and launched in spring 2004.
October 2001
The idea of a “National Student Government” organization is discussed on Student Leader magazine’s e-mail list, leading to hundreds of letters from list members and some heated discussion.
December 2001
Several of the Student Leader e-mail list members create a second e-mail list to exclusively discuss the formation of a national Student Government, and discussion rages on that list.
Spring 2002
Student Leader writes a major article about the pro’s and con’s of starting another national student group and how it would be structured. Student Leader conducts research on the other national and regional “student-oriented organizations” as part of the reporting for this article.
Summer 2002
Project Manager Vince Brown suggests that Oxendine Publishing and Student Leader magazine are the best-equipped organizations in America to found and administer a national group serving Student Governments.
Summer/Fall 2002
Student Leader Editor in Chief Butch Oxendine discusses the possibility of starting a new organization during workshops he leads nationwide at leadership conventions and conferences, such as COSGA, the National Leadership Conference on Student Governments, and consulting trips such as the University of Kentucky’s SG Retreat.
January 2003 Student Leader sets up a survey about the proposed American Student Government Association, eventually leading to responses from 225 institutions of all types nationwide by November 2003.
January 2003
The ASGA team writes an ASGA business plan, considers benefits, services, and resources, researches membership dues structure, starts work on ASGA logo and letterhead, learns from other national and regional organizations, and solicits feedback from trusted allies.
February 2003
Student Leader‘s Butch Oxendine meets with and solicits advice and feedback from the Executive Director of the American Student Association for Community Colleges in Orem, Utah to consider an alliance, and also meets with a top student affairs professional from Kansas State University, the leader of the National Leadership Conference on Student Governments, in Kansas City, Missouri.
March 2003
Student Leader and Oxendine Publishing, Inc., after research, planning, surveying, and outreach, proceed with launching the American Student Government Association.
March 7, 2003 Art Director Jeff Riemersma receives an unsolicited e-mail about CentralPoint, software that will allow Student Leader to easily and quickly develop the ASGA web resource without having to hire programmers to develop a membership-system from scratch.
March 12, 2003
Student Leader receives final ASGA logo from Logoworks.
March-April 2003
Student Leader and Florida Leader run ads in their spring editions promoting the formation of this new organization, encouraging students and advisors to participate in the ASGA survey.
April 22, 2003 Oxendine Publishing, Inc. signs contract with Oxcyon to develop ASGA’s web resource using the company’s CentralPoint contact management software. Development of the site begins in earnest immediately.
April 25, 2003
The University of Richmond becomes the first institution of any kind to commit to becoming an ASGA member.
August 8, 2003
VoteNet becomes the first official ASGA Sponsor.
September 21, 2003
ASGA is unofficially unveiled during Leadership Day at La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. La Salle’s SGA is also named the first “SG of the Month.”
October 9-12, 2003 ASGA is officially unveiled during the 25th annual “National Leadership Conference on Student Governments” in St. Louis, Missouri. Executive Director Butch Oxendine and Project Manager Vince Brown produce a video introduction, have an exhibit, and lead workshops about ASGA at this event.
November 15, 2003
ASGA has 88 Founding Members from 26 states, moving rapidly toward the pre-launch goal of 100 Founding Members.
December 22, 2003
ASGA has 98 Founding Members from 27 states, closing in on the pre-launch goal of 100 Founding Members. 198 institutions nationwide have participated in the ASGA survey.
March 17, 2004
ASGA officially launches with 105 members representing 30 states. Membership is now open to any and all Student Governments nationwide.
March 2005
ASGA produces its first Student Government conference, the Northeast Student Government Training Conference, at Villanova University in Philadelphia.
January 2, 2011
ASGA welcomes its 1000th member institution, Our Lady of the Holy Cross College in Louisiana.
October 2014
ASGA produces its 100th conference, more than any other organization in history
January 2016
ASGA completes redesign of all 10 ASGA conference web sites and all-new home site at www.asgahome.com
October 2016
ASGA produces its 120th conference
October 2017
ASGA produces its 130th conference
November 2017
ASGA adds Atlanta as the newest conference location
March 2018
ASGA celebrates 14th anniversary
April 2018
ASGA begins redesign/rehaul of the software that runs the entire member experience
April 2019
ASGA will produce Spring Student Government Summit in the New York area in the spring of 2020
June 2019
ASGA welcomes member #1,500 (Indiana University South Bend)
October 2019
ASGA produces its 140th conference
March 2020
ASGA celebrates its 16th anniversary
March 2020
ASGA announces first international conference in partnership with the American University of Cairo, Egypt
July 2020
ASGA produces first-ever virtual conference (New Officers & Members Conference; Advisors Conference)
December 2020
ASGA launches asgasgwebsites.com, a service designing web sites for Student Governments
March 2021
ASGA celebrates 17th anniversary
For more information, call toll-free 1-877 ASK ASGA (1-877-275-2742) or write info@asgaonline.com.
