Dolphins Making Waves: Student Government Earns National Shout-Out
For Legende McGrath ’26, president of Le Moyne’s Student Government Association (SGA), being ranked by the Princeton Review as one of the nation’s top student governments was not a surprise.
“Being involved in SGA for the last three years, I’ve seen firsthand all the work, dedication and late nights that went into transforming it into a strong organization,” said McGrath. “It’s especially gratifying since this is voted on by students.”
In rankings announced in August 2025, SGA made the Princeton Review’s “most active student governments” list, placing #20 nationally. The rankings are based on how strongly students agree or disagree with the statement, “Student government has an active presence and a tremendous impact on campus life.”
McGrath’s familiarity with SGA comes from several different perspectives, as he worked has his way up through the organization by serving as chair of academic affairs and vice president of club development. During the time he has been involved, SGA has added members to become the largest student government in the College’s history. Its accomplishments over the past couple of years is impressive and includes rewriting the SGA constitution, restructuring of club development and club governance, creating the nightcap campaign, and hosting the national Jesuit Student Government Association (JSGA) on the Le Moyne campus.
While the hard work of many students is a factor in SGA’s success, McGrath knows others have contributed. “SGA is essential at Le Moyne because it ensures that students have a seat at the table. At some institutions, administration treats the college primarily as a business, which can push students out of the decision-making process and negatively impact their experience. At Le Moyne, we work to make sure that students’ voices – whether about small matters or large – are heard and respected.”
Also making the top 25 list was Fairfield University, significant in that Le Moyne and Fairfield are the two youngest among all 27 Jesuit institutions in the U.S.
The students’ dedication in making student government so instrumental to their respective institutions certainly led to this recognition. However, I don’t think it’s coincidental that two young and nimble Jesuit institutions made this list. The principles of Jesuit education – including leadership, serving others and being actively involved – are at the core of not only SGA’s success but the overall vibrancy of Le Moyne’s many campus groups.” – President Linda LeMura
McGrath represented Le Moyne at the National Jesuit Leadership Conference at St. Louis University this past summer and said this about the experience. “At the conference, we reflected on why we do what we do. Too often, the longer we serve as student leaders, the more focused we become on checking boxes instead of remembering the purpose behind our work. This year, I plan to carry that lesson with me and instill it in everything I do as president.”
His message to any students interested in joining SGA? “It’s an opportunity like no other. You will be challenged, but you’ll also grow tremendously. The biggest lesson SGA has taught me is that there are always multiple layers to every story, and through this work, you learn how to navigate those layers and become stronger because of it.”
