Your civic duty has been done, the votes are in, and the elections are over! Our student body has elected Walker Chance and Olivia Flores to lead us in the 2013-2014 school year! Their campaign, though successful, was extremely unique: Walker, a Delta Upsilon and Olivia, an Alpha Phi ran their campaign from two different continents, because Olivia has spent this semester studying abroad in Argentina! When I sat down with Walker and (technologically) with Olivia, here is what they had to say about their newly elected selves:
HC: What are you most excited for after being elected President and Vice President?
Walker Chance: To get started! To make sure that everything we said we were going to do gets done, and make sure the students get to have the best experience they can.
Olivia Flores: I’m so excited to be interacting with the DePauw community in such a new and intimate way. I’m ecstatic to connect with more students, build stronger relationships with faculty and staff, and to start putting our plans into action.
HC: Do you have a Vice Presidential Bucket List? Or something you absolutely want to get done?
OF: I want to start making plans to improve how our chambers functions. Before I can focus on executing the bigger plans, Walker and I must first be sure that our organizations are taken care of and that DSG functions efficiently. As a wise man named Steve once said, “Shoot bullets, then cannons.”
HC: How are you feeling about the election?
WC: I’m nervous, I’m excited, it’s one of those things that still hasn’t hit me yet, I was definitely shaking during the interview on Sunday. But, I’m feeling confident as well!
OF: I’m feeling pumped! The election was exhilarating and strange. I’ve been traveling this past weekend, and I was actually on a horse back ride in South America when the election was going on. I came home to my hostel 3-4 hours after the election, settled myself down, and checked my email. It was bizarre, but so exciting!!
HC: What it hard during the campaign? Did you experience a lot of ups and downs in your confidence about your campaign.
WC: Absolutely! There were definitely high points of confidence and definitely times when people were saying things like “oh yeah they’re doing this they’re doing that” and I thought to myself, “wow they have a lot of support” but the debate went well, and the time between the debate and the debate and the elections was definitely hardest because it was just a constant “I don’t know, I don’t know.”
HC: Have you gotten a lot of support so far from everyone around you; your fraternity brothers and sorority sisters and just random people along the way?
OF: Yes! Everyone has been fantastic! Our friends, supporters, faculty, and staff have been so encouraging, welcoming and excited for us! This election has helped us to see how much support we have at DPU to execute our plans and we’re excited to keep reaching out to more students to achieve new ones.
WC: We’ve gotten a lot of support! We’ve had a lot of help with the entire campaign; spreading the word, hanging up posters and signs, and just being behind us and supporting us. Olivia has been great, Skyping in with individuals and to as many meetings and she could have, it’s been a great experience with a lot of people who deserve credit.
HC: Is there anything you want to tell our readers or take this time to thank anyone personally?
WC: I’m excited; I know Olivia is very excited. We’re excited to hear everyone’s opinions…email me, Facebook me, find me and come talk to me, whatever! We want to hear your input, because the more criticism and feedback we and the school get, the better we can make everything!
OF: Thank you for participating in an election process that will move DPU forward and will help us create a future full of new perspectives and changes. I am so honored and excited to be fulfilling this position. I would also love to personally think Kyle Kerrigan, my family, and my close group of friends at DPU and abroad for encouraging me to pursue this dream.
So, HC DePauw readers, I think we made a good choice. These two people seem extremely excited and ready to take on the task of leadership for the upcoming school year. Start getting excited to watch them transform the school and execute all their plans! Congratulations Walker and Olivia, we’re excited for you to lead us next year!