Saturday, April 20, 2024

Candidate Q&A: Get to know who's running to represent your college

April 4, 2019
Members of the ASMSU General Assembly on Feb. 1, 2019.
Members of the ASMSU General Assembly on Feb. 1, 2019. —
Photo by Annie Barker | The State News

The State News reached out to students running to represent their college in the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) General Assembly. Several candidates responded by email to questions regarding their motives behind running, what makes them an ideal candidate and what changes they plan on making during their time in student government.

Students can vote for their representatives online. Elections for the 2019-20 session's General Assembly, or GA, kicked off on April 1 and will close on April 8 at noon.

Editor's Note: Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) (3 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running for the General Assembly?

Sergei Kelley: “I am interested in changing ASMSU to be more fiscally responsible, have improved representation of students and to promote the protection of students' liberties from any threatening party; internal or external.”

Ashley Deaton: “I've been interested in politics for many years now, but I have never decided to put myself out there before. Watching the events that took place this past year in the General Assembly made me realize that there was a lot of division, hostility and misrepresentation within the administration. I felt that running for this position was an opportunity to not only make a positive change in the GA, but to also improve the Spartan experience.”

Logan Krause: “I’m running for the General Assembly because I feel misrepresented by one of the current CANR representatives. I was and continue to be disgusted by a number of my current representative's votes and positions. I believe my views and opinions more closely align with the majority of students in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, these include building a diverse and inclusive community that elevates all students regardless of race, gender, orientation, or ethnicity.”

Josh Grindling: “I know a lot of people who care deeply about issues that face MSU and are passionate about finding solutions. However, many of them are averse to participating in organizations like ASMSU because they are either intimidated by parliamentary procedure, public speaking, or hate the bureaucracy and red tape. I have been a civics junkie since high school and love advocating on behalf of people who might not like the nuance that comes with student government. I first went to an ASMSU meeting last year on behalf of the Council of Students with Disabilities and was very impressed with the caliber of their discussion and immediately knew that I wanted to represent CANR in the debate. My experience over the course of this session has only reconfirmed my intent to be a part of the General Assembly next session.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Sergei Kelley: “I have been extensively involved in my college and in my last two years and have done extensive outreach into CANR about ASMSU. I am also a representative who often stands in the minority of opinion, but an opinion that nonetheless is held by other students.”

Ashley Deaton:  “In my short time here, I've gotten the impression that the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has a very unique dynamic compared to other colleges. Many of the students appear to be more progressive while plenty of others would identify themselves as traditionalists. I believe that I would be an ideal candidate for CANR because I have the ability to to navigate through discussions with both of the aforementioned groups. I value hearing other people's opinions on a variety of subjects, even if I may disagree with them. Lastly, I am a skilled listener in that I know how to get people to expand on their thoughts and that I remember what people will say."

Logan Krause: “I listen and talk with my peers so that I’m able to represent the views that are held by the members of my college. I also have a semester's worth of experience on the General Assembly that gives me a working knowledge of the process making me able to more quickly represent the students of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.”

Josh Grindling: “I believe my experience over the past three years make me uniquely qualified for the job. I have been involved at almost every level of student governance at MSU; hall government, Council of Progressive Students, RHA and ASMSU.  I first got involved in Bailey Hall Government my freshman year, serving as the Residence Halls Association representative for my hall. The following year I represented the Council of Students with Disabilities, a COPS group in RHA. These experiences made me feel confident to handle the responsibilities of being an ASMSU representative, and I believe my record from this year demonstrates this.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Sergei Kelley: “There is a long list, but they all revolve around increasing fiscal responsibility, improving representation of students and promoting the protection of students' liberties. Specific proposals include open elections for the ASMSU President, posting of financial allocations from ASMSU of student groups and CORES and COPS groups (Council of Racial and Ethnic Students and Council of Progressive Students), formalizing and improving the financial allocations process, reviewing university impediments to the First Amendment and the distribution of suggestion boxes for students to suggest improvements and criticisms of their student government.”

Ashley Deaton: “If elected, I hope to create open elections within ASMSU. From my personal experiences, it seems as if the average student does not know that much about their student government. I believe that opening up executive positions in ASMSU would be a vital step in promoting student engagement with the government. Additionally, I would like to make the GA more accessible to the average student by having each meeting live streamed. Lastly, I would like to promote greater financial accountability by making the precise spending on events that ASMSU funds available on their website.”

Logan Krause: “If elected to ASMSU, I would continue to advocate for expanded vegetarian and vegan foods in dining halls, continue my involvement with an ad hoc sustainability committee that was recently created, and most importantly, I would seek out the input of my friends and colleagues in CANR to see what ideas, or issues they have. My big thing is: if I don’t run, who will?”

Josh Grindling: “I want to expand waivers for flat-rate tuition, improve our sustainability by improving composting and energy efficiency and lastly, expand the bike lanes.”

College of Engineering (4 seats)

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Q: Why are you interested in running for the General Assembly?

Ryan Aridi: “MSU charges 600 dollars a credit, and I don’t feel we get that back in the knowledge and skills these classes give. Some are good and teach us the basics, but applying that knowledge to design and completely build something? The actual process of going about engineering? Not present unless you are in a student group or take Senior Design, even then its limited by space and tools available. You don’t even feel like you understand your major until maybe the end of Junior year. So, my goal as a rep is to get more students (to) design inside and outside class."

Anna Kolb: “I'm interested because I'm passionate about MSU and love being a student here. I can't think of a better organization to join on campus to make serious change and improve the student experience. I think being on the GA would be a great opportunity to regularly meet with a diverse group of students and discuss the most pressing issues on campus.”

Alexis Haselwanter: “I am interested in running for the General Assembly because I have been one of the representatives for the College of Engineering this year and have really enjoyed my time as a representative. I have met so many people and have been able to help other students in my college in various ways. I have met with the Dean and other faculty to end the forced purchase of course material by tying the purchase to a grade. I am running for re-election because I want to continue working for the students in my college, and work with the representatives from other colleges to improve the student experience here at Michigan State.”

Christian Stack: “The main thing that interested me was the fact that my voice could have an impact in the way the school works. The College of Engineering has some issues currently and I thought I could do my part and try to fix them. Also, I don't know if the other candidates have ulterior motives — like doing this for a resume or just for fun — so I thought 'why not me? Why not work hard and take matters into my own hands to fix some issues?'”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Ryan Aridi: “I have worked in ASMSU for three years, I know what is and isn’t possible. And whatever is possible, I know how to go about implementing it. I am known by all the chairs and the deans in engineering and have gotten a number of bills passed in the General Assembly. I am not doing this for my resume and am not doing this because I enjoy sitting five hours every Thursday sifting through bloated agendas. I am doing this because I am want to have pride in my engineering department, and to look back and say that MSU had a good program that taught me critical skills at an institution that doesn’t feel like a glorified high school.”

Anna Kolb: “I think I'm an ideal candidate because I'm very involved on campus and would be a good representation of the College of Engineering. I'm on the SAES (Society of Applied Engineering Sciences) Executive Board, I have two jobs on campus — one as a Tour Guide and the other as a WIE Student Leader, and I'm involved in a variety of organizations including Spartan Ski Club, Tower Guard, IM sports and the Hammocking Club. I genuinely care about what students want to see changed both in the COE and campus-wide. I'm also the only girl running for the COE, we need to be represented!”

Alexis Haselwanter: “I believe I am an ideal candidate for my college because I have experience working as a representative in the General Assembly. I can hit the ground running next school year and have already established a relationship with the dean and other faculty. I know how to get things done, and other candidates running do not have such experience. I also keep my ear open for problems that engineering students are having, and am willing to work for all students, not just students in my major. Finally, I open to other beliefs and actively seek discussion. I am absolutely willing to talk about the issues with other people to figure out the best solution for students.”

Christian Stack: “I would say my drive, dedication and great critical thinking skills makes me an ideal candidate. I'm used to working hard and I want to apply it in the ASMSU GA. I'm also the type of person who can compromise and I feel that's necessary in any type of government.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Ryan Aridi: “Funding workshops where we can get experienced students or faculty to just teach and apply the basics of a specific software or tool in the machine shop, all for generating new student skills. More spaces for students to build and work on cool engineering projects and provide easier and greater funding options for current and new groups to prosper and show the rest of the nation what an MSU engineer can do. More ways for engineering student groups to advertise and take on more members, as well as allowing for an easier method of students making new engineering teams/groups on campus."

Anna Kolb: “I'm really passionate about making campus, and the world, more sustainable. Climate change, pollution and other related issues really hit home for me. We already have a lot of efforts put in, but I think there's even more we can be doing. I hope to improve the student experience in the College of Engineering. So I plan on listening to a variety of students' ideas and going from there.”

Alexis Haselwanter: “I would like to see a re-evaluation of the funding system for the different engineering RSOs and for the engineering college as a whole. Our labs and machine shops are not up-to-date and lack the modern equipment that students need to work on their design projects and other things for their classes. I would like to work with the Dean and the administration to figure out how to properly fund our labs and our engineering student groups, because that will lead directly to students getting jobs and being far better prepared for a career in engineering. I am always open for suggestions on what other problems I should solve within the college and on our campus.”

Christian Stack: “My main goal is to fix the funding issues. For example, engineering student groups, the machine shop and classrooms need more funding, period.”

College of Social Science (3 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running to be on the General Assembly?

Russell Cleary: “In the past couple months and leading up to where I am now, I learned of this group called ASMSU. I quickly learned of the power and funding they had and right thereafter I started asking questions about where our money is going. I learned that our money is being wasted or used improperly, for the most part, and I need to change this.”

Hunter Schmidt: “I'm interested in running to be on the General Assembly because, ever since I can remember I wanted to help my community and the people around me become successful.”

Alyssa Ewell: “I am interested in running to be on the GA because I want have a voice in a large university. Being a part of the GA would allow me to network with student leaders from every college within the university along with CORES/COPS groups on campus. I came to MSU to not only further my academic career, but also to challenge my perspective and learn from other students I meet.”

Selva Haidar: “This past year, I have had the best experience within GA that I want to continue again. I'm running because I want to truly represent and listen to the students and bring active, positive change to MSU and to the College of Social Science.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Russell Cleary: “What makes me an ideal candidate for my college is very simple. I will fight. I will never sit down and watch something that needs changing. I will be the first one to stand up and fight it if it’s something I disagree with. The College of Social Science needs representation like me. I am willing to voice my opinion in order to help the general population of Michigan State University.”

Hunter Schmidt: “I'm an ideal candidate because of my experience in leadership positions in the past and my persistence in making MSU a better university to attend for its students.”

Alyssa Ewell: "I am an ideal candidate for the College of Social Sciences — a college with a wide range of majors — because I have a strong work ethic, integrity in the decisions I make and a deep care and concern for people. A continuing goal of mine is to build lifelong relationships with others. I strive to focus on my interpersonal skills daily by actively listening to others while speaking on behalf of my experiences, both good and bad. I have the ability to understand differing perspectives for issues while fiercely advocating for minority representation."

Selva Haidar: “I’m an ideal candidate because I already did GA before so I understand the bill writing process very well, so that if I get elected, I can start writing bills to help Social Science right away! I also have a very strong passion for helping the students and the community.  This year through the General Assembly I learned that change is possible, and I want to help as many students as I can to have the best time at MSU and see this place as their home.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Russell Cleary: “There are changes to be made, that is without question. Specific ideas are still in the works, however I can tell you cutting funding and auditing will be my biggest concern. We need to make sure these groups and events have only the necessary funds and nothing more.”

Hunter Schmidt: “If I'm elected to the General Assembly I will plan our budget according to activities that students are interested in and will actually participate in. I plan on bringing dogs to campus and holding people responsible for their actions, regardless of their position in the University.”

Alyssa Ewell:  “I strive to bring unity at MSU to bring about viable solutions to problems facing our University. I will stand up for mental health treatment, fight sexual assault, expand resources for people with disabilities and work actively with CORES/COPS groups within the General Assembly. Also, I plan to increase awareness and resources for programs like CAPS (Counseling and Psychiatric Services) and the MSU Safe Place on campus. Also, I would like to expand marketing and awareness for events on campus; it is important for MSU students to come together to support meaningful projects on campus!”

Selva Haidar: “I want to expand resources like free menstruation products in resident halls, have more vegan options and push for a fall break to improve mental health. When it comes to social science, I want to push for more career and academic resources so students will have an easier time finding jobs and being successful in their future endeavors and their time on campus.”

James Madison College (2 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running for the General Assembly?

Stacey LaRouche: “I was, and still am, inspired to run for this position because of MSU’s actions regarding the (Larry) Nassar situation. Although improvements have been made in the last year, true change will not occur unless we advocate for students’ interests to administration. As a land grant university, MSU innately has a responsibility to serve all of its students. As someone who has gone through the OIE process, I recognize the flaws in the system. I want to advocate for change to support others. I also come from a single income household, and want to advocate for more measures to make college more affordable.The past year I have fallen in love with ASMSU, and want to be a part of it again.”

Adam Green: “The James Madison College needs a student representative who will represent the needs of all JMC students, from across all political viewpoints. This requires having the ability to work across the political divide that often drives our student government, to pass more common sense and fiscally responsible ASMSU bills so that our tax dollars will be going to more useful programs on campus for all students to benefit from. I decided to run because I understand that the GA is currently not fulfilling to its best ability, the wills of the whole student body. Wasteful spending and hours of wasteful in-fighting has turned the GA into a sometimes immobile and wasteful body."

Katie Franz: “I have always been interested in legislation and writing bills. I just think it's important to have representatives who are committed to representing their college, which I believe I am. However, it was my friends who pushed me to run this year. I decided I really wanted to run after attending the Elect Her conference put on by ASMSU.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Stacey LaRouche: “I have held this seat for the past year, meaning I understand the 'behind the scenes' of ASMSU and how to achieve change. I’m a strong candidate for the position of JMC representative because of my outgoing personality, strong work ethic and massive dedication to the students of JMC! JMC deserves a rep who has the time, passion, and commitment to serve them. Likewise, JMC deserves someones with the connections, skills and ideas to serve them best. I have the passion to fulfill this position best. Representing JMC is unique, because JMC students are incredibly passionate about policy issues and implications."

Adam Green: “I am a bipartisan leader. I have been instrumental — in JMC and MSU — in promoting opportunities for people to engage in partisan civil discourse with each other. I am driven to promote a more fiscally responsible ASMSU by working with my other colleagues on the GA, and in order for any venture to be successful, we need a leader who is dedicated to the promotion of civil discourse, listening to the other representatives and crafting legislation that can both benefit our school, as well as make good use of our student tax dollars. I am ideal for this position because I have a good understanding of budgeting, as I work for the Office of the Speaker of the House in Michigan and have commonly worked on the state budgeting process, not only with our office, but with the Office of Governor Whitmer. This takes, again, a listening and attentive ear as opposing sides sort out the best way to come to a solution."

Katie Franz: "James Madison students have very diverse opinions and are passionate about a lot of different things. I am a very open-minded person and a good listener. I think this will help me be a good representative of JMC because I will make sure all James Madison Students have their voices heard.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Stacey LaRouche: “If reelected to ASMSU, I would bolster student outreach. Although improvements have been made this year, I realize that I need to put in a lot of work to make sure all JMC students are aware of ASMSU, its resources, and what we’re doing. My concrete plans concerning outreach means keeping 'campaign energy' year round, by being extremely active on social media, attending JMC Freshman events and visiting club meetings of all JMC-affiliated clubs. ASMSU is nothing unless we’re a transparent body with the students we represent. I pledge to continue to speak up and ask tough questions. I additionally will advocate for common sense issues, while simultaneously promoting overarching ideals of mental health reform, OIE improvement and equitable policies."

Adam Green: “I would like to introduce legislation for investing in livestreaming technology for the GA to promote campus-wide engagement in the GA meetings. Most students are not able to come to the GA meetings due to the areas in which they live on campus. We need to be able to stream the meetings so people can be involved in this legislative process. ... I would advocate for expanding the resources RSOs can get from ASMSU, whether it be monetary support, advertising help, etc. ASMSU should look into helping craft specific events for specific colleges. ... I've spoken with a few people in ASMSU currently on expanding ASMSU free printing program to the residence halls and other non-residence halls (e.g. Wells Hall)."

Katie Franz: “One of my priorities is to advocate for more sustainable practices in our dining halls. I think a lot of food and water goes to waste and by being more contentious we can save money, energy and the planet.”

College of Natural Science

Q: Why are you interested in running for the General Assembly?

Shad Soldano: “I’m interested in joining student government because I have a passion for serving others and improving the processes that govern the Spartan campus. I hope to further extend the outreach of ASMSU to the student body so that they are better informed and engaged with the governmental affairs that have an impact on everyone here at MSU. ... Hopefully, through these efforts we can all continue to positively refine the Spartan experience. From a personal perspective, I consider myself a moderate-conservative. This is in contrast to what I believe has been a more left-leaning legislative body within ASMSU. This is not in itself a negative thing, but having a more diverse political landscape is important to ensure all students feel represented. However, in order to truly have representative democracy at ASMSU, it’s vital to recognize that party-based politics are not a bad thing as long as it’s collaborative, open and not divisive."

Jenny Vu: “I am interested in running to be on the General Assembly because I want to go above and beyond in giving back to the community and making a difference, whether big or small. The ASMSU General Assembly has given students like myself a chance to be in charge through positive ideas and to build on our creativity to make MSU more special than it already is.”

Kumaran Arivoli: “I am currently serving in the 55th session (2018-19) of the General Assembly as the College of Natural Science representative. I've said it many times already, but making that decision to run last year was the best decision I have made at MSU so far! I have never met a group of students so passionate about wanting to improve the framework of our University. So I think ultimately, I want to be part of that amazing atmosphere again. It's intimidating to think that we go to a university with over 50,000 students and it's often easy to believe that each of us are just a number. But, joining ASMSU has shown me that I can produce large-scale change through legislation and advocacy."

Aubrey Hanes: “For the past two years, I have taken part in the ASMSU class councils. I have seen and participated in the great ways students are able to enact change on our campus. I decided to run for a general assembly seat because I believe it is my time to step up as a leader and work with my fellow undergraduate students to improve the state of our current campus. This is our time to come together and build an inclusive campus for all of its students.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Shad Soldano: “I believe I’ll be an ideal representative because of my compassionate nature along with my desire to listen and learn. Most of all, I will use my best judgement to stand and advocate for the good of all Spartans while always considering the morality of my position. To reinforce these promises, I’ll continue to do my best to participate in the OCAT hosted events where I can further my understanding of the many cultures making up our student body. Additionally, I’m involved with the “Refugee Outreach Collective” chapter here at MSU that assists and helps refugees live better lives here in the U.S. and around the world.”

Jenny Vu: “I am ideal in a sense that I can grow and learn everyday. Every mistake I make is an opportunity to learn, to find a deeper meaning in life and to establish long-term goals. This perseverance can help me when I am representing my college because I am able to take what I learn and make it better. I have been in leadership position to be qualified as candidate, such as National Honors Society, National Art Honors Society, Holden Hall RHA Representative, RHA co-chair Committee of Internal Affairs, multiple volunteer positions in the community, church youth group and tutoring K-12 children at Lansing schools.”

Kumaran Arivoli: “I think that my love for both politics and science gives me the ability to work effectively as both a student in a predominantly STEM college and as a representative for that college in student government. In the last three years that I have spent at MSU, I have been fortunate enough to work with some amazing political organizations, intern for politicians and work at the grassroots level by canvassing, door-knocking and registering people to vote. I really think there is an increasing connection between science and advocacy/policy today and I think that I can further strengthen that connection by representing the students of the College of Natural Science.”

Aubrey Hanes: “The college of Natural Science is home for students aspiring to break the problematic precedents set by those before us. I believe I am an ideal candidate for the college of Natural Science because of my experience in other areas of ASMSU. My ASMSU experiences in class councils have prepared me to advocate for change in legislation and adaptations to make environments more inclusive for students with disabilities and other marginalized groups of students. If elected, I will remain open to every demographic which will aid in changes that must be made in order for our university to better represent its diverse community."

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Shad Soldano: “Lastly, my priorities at ASMSU are to promote a truly inclusive and collaborative representative body along with advocating for better ASMSU outreach towards the student body. I also have many ideas to enhance 'college life' here at MSU by improving various aspects of the services and resources provided to students. The most exciting thing I have in mind is advocating for new features to the MSU app that will enable students to receive notifications when their favorite meals are served at the dining halls and vote on meals in advance. ... Additionally, I hope to organize a package of useful resources for new Spartans so that their transition to college is an easy and even more welcoming process."

Jenny Vu: “The changes I hope to make when I get elected is caring more for the students' mental health. The transition from home and going to college exposes ourselves to a different environment — a new phenomenon that many are not aware of. So, I hope to make further changes to better our students' health. Second, educating more on the sexual misconduct and sexual abuse we see on campus. Those things are important to make the students feel safe and assured that they are in the right place. Third, free materials or better materials for learning. Going to school is expensive and we want students to be less worried about the supplies necessary for college. Therefore, providing easy-access materials can be the best approach for bettering the student body."

Kumaran Arivoli: “This last year, I've been part of some tremendous meetings with various members of MSU's administration. What I have noticed is that there is often a large disconnect between the goals of the administration and the goals of the students. This misalignment needs to be changed. So, the biggest change I would like to see at MSU if elected would be to create a culture in which the University's administration can relate more to our student body. This means increasing their transparency, accountability and reliability overall. I would love to see more members of our administration attending ASMSU meetings and other student-run events so that they can be more exposed to students' concerns and struggles. With a new university president expected to take over later this year, this is absolutely the best time to push for this change. As a representative next year, I will make sure that our new president is as accessible to the students as possible.”

Aubrey Hanes: “If elected, my main goals would be to break problematic precedents dealing with sexual assault, mental health practices and the suppression of diversity on our campus. Although students have made improvements in these areas, there is much more work to be done to make a safe and inclusive campus here at Michigan State University for all students.”

No Preference (2 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running to be on the General Assembly?

Tadarian Rodgers: “I believe that change is made by those who step up to the plate. MSU is a great school, and with being a great school, we also have many issues that need to be tackled. This is something that I believe I can help with.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Tadarian Rodgers:  “Historically, no-preference students have had very little representation in the ASMSU.  As a result we don’t see very many bills pushed to help us. No-preference students are probably one of the most robust groups on campus because we don’t have a defined future or route. Knowing this, and experiencing the help no-preference students get, I believe that I would be able to ensure this group's voice is heard.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Tadarian Rodgers: “I would hope to ensure responsible spending within the student government, as well as more bills and programs created to help incoming freshmen and sophomores with choosing the right major for them.”

Lyman Briggs College (2 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running to be on the General Assembly?

Osten Eschedor: “I am interested in running because I would like to implement outreach programs to the students. Despite being active in hall government, I did not know much about ASMSU until a few months ago, and the vast majority of people I know do not know what it is at all. This is a problem that I would like to fix if elected.”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Osten Eschedor: “I am very active in the the Holmes Hall Community that houses Lyman Briggs Students. I am Vice President of the Holmes Hall Association and a member of the Holmes Service Organization and the Lyman Briggs Freshman Class Council. Through these activities I have worked with our Briggs apparel sales, hall events, cafeteria food and done community outreach projects. I understand the inner workings of student government and am very passionate about making this community better for everyone.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Osten Eschedor: “So many students have great ideas on how to improve MSU, but lack the resources or connections to make them happen. This is something that I brought to the attention of the other members of the Holmes Hall Association executive board. We then implemented ways to reach out to students to bring more voices and ideas to the table. This is something that I would like to bring into ASMSU with me. If elected I will work to administer a set of programs to improve communication between the General Assembly and the students it serves.”

College of Music (2 seats)

Q: Why are you interested in running to be on the General Assembly?

Christine So: “When I was in high school I had been involved in many ways. Some of those ways were: being a part of my school improvement committee all four years, working closely with the principal, being in student government and holding several positions, participating in another subcommittee with my principal as President of my high school's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America and going to meetings for our new STEM building that was built my senior year. I knew when I came into MSU as a freshmen, I wanted to continue contributing my voice to this new community where I hope to make any sort of impact. I want to make a difference!”

Q: What makes you an ideal candidate for your college?

Christine So: “As listed to the prior question, I feel I have much experience that will allow me to be efficient in what I do in the ASMSU GA. I also am a pretty outgoing person and enjoy talking to my peers and getting their input in what else can be bettered within the university. I will take the steps to make sure others are heard, not just me. Especially as a music student, I feel many of us are seen as practically eating, sleeping and practicing in our practice rooms and I want to change that stigma.”

Q: What changes would you hope to make if you were to be elected?

Christine So: “Besides changing the stigma of how music students are perceived and not hearing our voices as much, I want to do a lot with the OIE and MSUPD process and just want it to be simpler. I want to make sure College of Music students are aware that they can come to GA meetings, hold once-a-month meetings for music students to voice their opinions and be proactive in issues.”

The College of Arts and Letters, Residential College of Arts and Humanities, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, College of Education and College of Veterinary Medicine currently have no candidates running.

Voting closes on April 8 at noon.

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