(Photo credit to Zachary Miklos)
The Fordham community has a new United Student Government president and vice president! Brian Reardon and Abigail Kedik officially won the election as of April 26th and will lead in their positions for the 2017-18 school year. They filled Her Campus in on what their campaign was like, their reactions to their win, and their plans for the future of USG. Take a look:
Why did you decide to run?
Abigail: Brian and I decided to run because of the changes we want to make at Fordham. After each of us being involved in the Fordham community for three years, we have a handle on what Fordham does really well, and what Fordham can do better. We wanted to be a part of that progress moving forward and achieving that change, and involving other students and making USG more accessible.
Brian: I decided to run about six months ago when I truly got into the swing of my VP position. I found the life-giving qualities of it and I really wanted to continue the work that I started. That passion is why I decided to run for the Executive ticket. I saw that I had a lot of unique experiences in my VPship that I could call upon if I became the President. Moreover, I saw that I could really help the student body more, if I had the privilege of being the president.
And why run for the executive ticket?
A: As Executive President and Executive Vice President, Brian and I will be able to forge close relationships with the rest of the Executive Board and the Senate. This type of collaborative work is incredibly important and makes tangible change, and we wanted to be a part of those relationships in USG.
What made the two of you want to run together?
A: Brian and I have known each other since freshmen year when we were placed in the same Residence Hall. I have always known Brian to be very involved in campus life, always seeking for ways to improve the school. Brian’s efforts and care for Fordham is something I really admire, and I am looking forward to working with such a caring individual next year!
B: Abigail and I knew each other since freshmen year, where we were both in the Manresa Scholars program. Since then we’ve both grown in our ideals of leadership: with me in USG, while Abigail grew as an RA. When I first wanted to run, I thought about the people that I could run with and then I remembered Abigail’s immense work with UNICEF and I knew that she would be an amazing running-mate. She presents an amazing amount of love for this school and I wanted to run with someone who could match my passion for Fordham, and in Abigail, I found that.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during the entire campaign and election process?
A: The biggest challenge for me was making sure we were always doing all that we could. Brian and I wanted to reach out to as many students as possible, and it came down to making sure all our free time was devoted to the campaign and spreading our message.
B: I think that the biggest challenge was visibility. Visibility is one of the biggest issues that faces Fordham clubs and organizations as a whole, and the election cycle is no different. The reason I find this the biggest challenge was that it was hard to see how far our names/faces were getting around on campus. Especially during the three days of the election, where our pictures were on the ballot, I sat there hoping that we were able to connect with as many students as we could.
What was it like when you found out that you won the election?
A: As unoriginal it is to say, it was exciting. We put so much effort into preparation for the campaign. We spent a lot of time creating our platform and discerning initiatives we would like to bring to USG next year, and it was an amazing feeling to know we are able to start working on our goals.
B: I was with Abigail when we got the call, and I was immediately elated. It was a release of tension of the waiting that the three days of voting created and I can say that I was visibly happy. As Abigail can attest, I was like a little kid on Christmas, jumping around in pure happiness. Even though the position of Executive President requires a lot of reverence to the USG and the University, if you can’t find the fun in it, why do it! I knew in that moment that being President would be a tough ride, but I know that I can do it and do it to the best of my ability.
What values will you put forth/what goals do you aim to achieve as the winners of the executive ticket in the United Student Government?
A: Brian and I have a lot of things we would like to accomplish. One thing we would like to focus on is club leader outreach and collaboration. Ultimately, Brian and I want to support the students at Fordham and enable USG to represent them. One of the ways to accomplish this is through working with club leaders on what their club cares about and how they want to see Fordham in the future.
B: We hope to expand the values of individual student agency around campus, where students are seen as co-equal members in the cause of the betterment of Fordham. In connection to that, we will be pushing the administration to include students into their major decisions because when it boils down to it, whatever the University does is for the student body. We will be working with the clubs of Fordham to create a change on campus to have better communication between groups, which will move toward gaining a more united and socially minded university culture. Finally, a major goal is to strive to give each and every student the ability to feel at home at Fordham and, if they do not, the tools to change it.
Best of luck to the new USG President and VP!