The SGA Elections take place this week. The Scribe contacted the following SGA candidates via email about their platform and experience.
Nicholas St. John is running for senator of graduate school.
What is your year and major?
PhD Applied Science: Physics 2nd Year
Pronouns.
None Preferred
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
My current position is Speaker of Senate and Senator of the Graduate School.
Why are you running for this position?
We must keep the graduate school at the table in student government.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
Doing it this year has went swell, and it seems that the work flows easily for me.
What are your goals for this position?
Drastically increasing the presence and power of student government on campus.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
There will be some open positions in Student Government in the Fall, so if you are reading this, consider applying to be appointed to those positions in August.
Aidan Clark is running for senator of Letters, Arts & Sciences (LAS).
What is your year and major?
Major: Political Science
Year: Sophomore (going into Junior year)
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
I currently hold the Senator of LAS position.
Why are you running for this position?
I’m running for this position because I’m passionate about the UCCS community and connecting with students in the LAS college.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
I not only have experience with the position and what it entails, but I also have experience running a club on campus so I know how to engage with the student body.
What are your goals for this position?
To continue the guest speaker series that we started last semester as a way to help students become more engaged with their community outside of UCCS.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
Don’t forget to vote and stay safe!
Miranda Baumgarten is running for senator of nursing and health sciences.
What is your year and major?
I am currently a freshman student in the Nursing Prep major since I will be applying this year for the nursing program.
Pronouns
My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
I have previously held office in SGA. My current position for the 2020/2021 academic year is Senator of the Nursing and Health Sciences.
Why are you running for this position?
For this next term, I am running for the same position, Senator of the nursing and Health Sciences. I am running for this position because I feel this year I was able to get a well-rounded sense of the duties of my position. With practice from this year, I feel prepared for the position next year if elected. This way I can start immediately with plans to gain resources for pre-professional exams as well as starting community engagement for the nursing and health science student based on my future goal to reach out this semester to get feedback from students on what they may want to see on campus.
What are your goals for this position?
My goals for this position next academic year are to actively and accurately represent the students of this college. As previously mentions I would like to gain feedback from students to gain insight on their needs, things they may like or dislike, then actively pursue a way to change or add these aspects to campus life. Similarly, I hope to find ways to continuously offer support to students in the Nursing and Health Sciences by sharing communication for resources and asking for constant feedback. With the pandemic making these times difficult, it’s important to have continuous communication.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
Although campus hasn’t been as open as past years, I found a home here at UCCS and I have great pride for what the Student Government Association contributes to campus. I hope you vote for me so I can make you proud too. Thank you!
Shae Patterson is running for senator of nursing and health sciences.
What is your year and major?
I am a Sophomore.
Pronouns.
My pronouns are she her and hers.
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
I have not previously held any other positions for SGA.
Why are you running for this position?
I am running for Senate of College or Nursing and Health Science because I would be a great advocate for the students in this area of study. I know that this would be a great stepping stone in into becoming a better person all while helping others at the same time.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
I have served many different positions in various of groups that would make me a great fit for this position. Starting from middle school all the way up to my first year of college. I could take my past experience and help me apply it towards this new position.
What are your goals for this position?
My number one goal for this position is to help the students by providing them with great resources all while helping them achieve their goals and helping them grow.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
Remember to vote Shae Patterson!!
AJ Bailey II is running for senator at large.
What is your year and major?
I am currently a Junior at UCCS studying political science. I currently have my associates degree in political science.
Pronouns
He/Him.
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
No, this is my first year running for office however, I have been participating in SGA meetings.
Why are you running for this position?
I would like to be elected to the board so that I could be an advocate for my fellow students.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
The reason I am fit for Senator at-Large is because I have previous experience in student government. I was student body President and SkillsUSA President at my high school of Destinations Career Academy of Colorado. I am also currently a member of the UCCS College Democrats and UCCS College Democrats Treasurer.
What are your goals for this position?
My goal as Senator at-Large is to bring the government reaching out to the students rather than the students reaching out to the government. I believe this could significantly help UCCS students that feel ignored and isolated this would be a great benefit for both SGA and UCCS students.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
I encourage everyone to participate in the UCCS SGA elections and also by selecting someone who will represent them and make sure their voices are being heard.
Aidan Meadows is running for senator at large.
What is your year and major?
I am a junior studying political science and psychology double major on an accelerated track for a master’s in public administration!
Pronouns.
he/him/his
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
Yes! This past year I was the Student Body President.
Why are you running for this position?
I am running for this position to simply get back into the Senate! I miss the atmosphere and flexibility that comes with a general Senator position and am excited to have the ability to pursue different projects at my own pass that can directly help students.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
I think my experience as both the Speaker of the Senate and the Student Body President in previous years has made me a perfect fit for this position. I have a lot of experience within SGA that will allow for a smoother transition which will ultimately help me help students right away once the academic year starts.
What are your goals for this position?
I hope to better serve the students through direct and personal grassroots efforts. Though I won’t be as tied in with administration as I previously was this change will help me shift my focus from advocating for students to administration to directly helping and impacting student experience at UCCS.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
As everyone knows this ongoing pandemic has presented endless challenges for students. SGA is here to facilitate a positive and impactful student experience for all students. It is so important to vote in this election and elect the people you believe are best suited to create that positive impact for you! Vote!
Tapasya Patel is running for senator at large.
What is your year and major?
My major is biology, and I am a junior.
Pronouns.
She/her
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
This is my first running for SGA.
Why are you running for this position?
I am running for Senator-at-large position. I am running for this position because I think this is a great platform to find a way to make a difference and get involved in projects and initiatives. Moreover, I think this is a great way to engage with students and learn more about leadership from the other SGA candidates.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
I think I am fit for this position because of my leadership skill and multicultural background helps me understand people better and helps me become a more empathetic person. Being an approachable and empathetic person is important as a leader representing a community. These qualities help me communicate well and helps work with a team in an effective manner. Moreover, this role will help me grow and become a better leader.
What are your goals for this position?
My goal with this position is to try get students more engaged in a safe manner. I would also like to advocate mental health amongst students during the time of pandemic. I want to find ways to connect with students and talk to them about mental health. Most importantly hear them out and help out in the best way possible.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
My final comment is that I am very excited to work with SGA and grow as a leader for the UCCS community in the best way possible. I wish every candidate good luck for the election and let them know that they got this!
Miles Jones is running for senator of multicultural affairs.
What is your year and major?
Sports Communication and minor in Pre-Law
Pronouns.
He/Him/His
Have you previously held office in SGA and if so, what was your previous position?
Yes, Senator of Multicultural Affairs.
Why are you running for this position?
I want to be the voice for students of color on campus.
Why do you think you’re fit for this position?
I am passionate about being an advocator for students of color at UCCS as well as bettering the overall community of UCCS.
What are your goals for this position?
Strengthen the community of UCCS and help the students of color at UCCS feel welcomed and included.
Any final comment for the UCCS community or thoughts on the election?
No response.
The following candidates were contacted but could not be reached for comment.
Thanh Thanh Tran is running for student director of finance.
Jerome Frimpong is running for senator of business.
Sean Tran is running for senator of engineering.
Dylan Matchette is running for senator of public affairs.
Rachel Cauwels is running for senator at large.
Ashley Hoff is running for senator of military affairs.
For more information on the UCCS SGA candidates, visit the SGA website. Voting information will be made available to students via email.