Florida State University’s newest political party, Unite, had its official launch on November 7 in the Globe Auditorium, where students learned about the party, its mission, and its leadership team. The party is led by Chair Yiannis Neocleous, Vice Chair Will Boose, Secretary Richell De Jesus, Internal Vice President Saleshia Ellis, External Vice President Kelly Miller, Treasurer Isaac Urichko, Recruitment Co-Chairs Jenna Layton and Tony Luna, Campaign Manager Allona Douglas, and Candidate Manager Stevie Spear Jr.
The Unite Party is different from previous parties at Florida State due to the fact that they are more student-centered than campus oriented. Rather than telling students what is going to happen, Unite is asking students questions in order to form their platform. Receiving input directly from the student body is of the utmost importance to Unite, and the backbone of their party. While the official platform has not been released yet, the Unite party wants to serve Florida State students as “a shared space, where students feel welcomed and encouraged to challenge themselves, discuss diverse views and meet peers from all corners of campus.” Unite aims to enhance students’ academic and social experience on this campus, and is excited about the upcoming election season.
The November 7th launch was an exciting event where interested students had the opportunity to mingle, share ideas, and learn about Unite. External Vice President Kelly Miller said “it was incredible to look out into the crowd during our launch and see students from all corners of campus. I’m excited to work with members of the student body to create a platform that is truly representative of all students at this university.”
The Unite Party is looking forward to reaching out to more students on Florida State’s campus and hearing their thoughts and visions. Student government is an extremely important aspect of our campus and community and has a larger impact on us than many might think. In 2017 alone, our Student Government Association (SGA) worked to provide free blue books for students during finals week, assisted in the new dining contracts on campus (you’ve probably noticed the better food!), helped STEM students gain more space in Dirac Science Library, and much more. Other recent accomplishments include founding the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI), lobbying to secure funding for the new Black Student Union house, and supporting the kNOw More Campaign. Although there are numerous other achievements to list, the main point is being informed about student government at FSU can help you as a student.
In the upcoming weeks, The Unite Party will be releasing applications for Senate positions as well as SGA Executive Board positions. Just an FYI ladies, only seven out of thirty-six filled senate seats are currently held by women!
Keep up with The Unite Party on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and their website.