A couple of months ago, Holy Cross had an exciting race for the position of co-presidents of the Student Government Association (SGA). Jackie and her running mate Ben won the election, and once all the busyness died down, HerCampus Holy Cross had the pleasure of meeting with and talking to Jackie where she shared her story, struggles, and surprises she encountered while running.
Question: What made you decide to run for SGA co-president?
After taking part in high school student council, Jackie was excited to join SGA at Holy Cross her freshman year. She became a senator, which made her feel like her voice was being heard. Every Sunday night, she was an active participant in their meetings, and was highly interested in the discussions about what was happening around campus.
The following year, Jackie decided to be the chair of the SGA budget committee. She expressed how being on this committee was an amazing learning experience as she got to be in contact with a multitude of campus clubs regarding their budgets (including HerCampus!) The new position allowed her to learn about what happens behind the scenes of delegating funds, and see a different side to SGA, making her love Holy Cross Student Government even more.
While Jackie was the chair of the budget committee, she met Ben, and the two quickly became close friends. Before deciding to run together as co-presidents, the two were co-speakers of the SGA Senate their Junior year. Jackie was studying abroad in Argentina in the Fall, while Ben was in D.C. for the Spring. Even with the distance (and sometimes different time zones) the two were able to maintain a strong level of communication regarding SGA and campus happenings. Running for co-presidents together seemed like the natural progression for the two SGA speakers. Jackie explained that she felt “as though the distance was really good for us. It helped us realize that we were capable of this… It’s not just a one person show, but a partnership.”
Q: What are some challenges you have faced throughout this process, and how have you overcome them?
Putting yourself in the public light is certainly not easy. Candidates had to put themselves out there by putting up posters of themselves, running campaign accounts, and taking part in debates with each other; and in Jackie’s case of being the only candidate on campus, campaigning in person. However, putting oneself out there can have unintended consequences, such as the backlash Jackie faced.
“People were saying a lot of mean things about me online, which definitely hurt to hear. A lot of times I just had to take breaks, shut off my phone and leave it behind… If I had listened to this small group of people who had been saying these things, I probably wouldn’t be here right now in this position.”
Jackie says that during the campaign, she understood that she could not give in to this small group of people spreading hate, and this was a journey she knew she had to persevere through. Things such as the backlash online, and nights spent working well into the morning, were temporary, and her willingness to work for the position of co-president helped her push through.
Q: What are some positive things you have experienced/learned as you have been running for co-president?
The most positive thing Jackie says she experienced through running for SGA co-president was the friends she made and all the support she received. “I made so many friends through Ben and his friend group. They were just so supportive any time I needed help… I would say when you’re going through a hardship and are stressed, and there’s people that are willing to just sit with you and talk with you, it makes a huge difference.”
Jackie went on to say how much she appreciated all of those who were there for her and wanted to have these conversations. For her, it made a huge difference.
Q: How has your identity shaped who you are today?
Throughout the interview, Jackie expressed how her parents greatly influenced who she is today, and how traits she has picked up from the both of them have shown up throughout the campaign process. Jackie characterized herself as someone who is very extroverted, like her mom who, “is loving, caring, and isn’t afraid to share her emotions.” Additionally, her dad “is very generous and is always willing to have conversations with anyone regarding anything they need…Obviously no one is perfect, but having these characteristics from my family has definitely shaped me to be the person I am today.”
Jackie also expresses how her identity as a woman has greatly impacted who she has become. “In this role, I want to empower women and women’s voices. I want to be someone people feel they can go to and have their voice heard.”
Q: Now that you have won the the election, is there anything you have experienced that surprised you in any way?
“Something that both surprised me and made me excited was the fact that so many people in organizations on campus reached out. I think that people see real hope within the people that are leading, and even though it’s just Student Government, people are starting to see hope within that. It makes me really excited to see people care as much as they do.”
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
Mental health was a central part of Jackie and Ben’s campaign. “As someone who has experienced some not so great moments with mental health, I want to be there for people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health. I try to understand what it is like, and while I may not understand every single person’s perspective, I want to hear them… Ben and I understand things take time to change when working with groups, so creating those meaningful connections for the future is very important to us. Not everything can be solved within a year, but we want to make sure that we are making large strides towards better student mental health.”
Her Campus is so grateful to Jackie for allowing us to do an interview with her about her experience running for SGA co-president, as we understand it can be an extremely stressful and busy time. Congratulations to Jackie and Ben on winning the election, and we wish you the best for the rest of your presidential term!
*To learn more about Jackie and Ben’s ideas for Holy Cross, visit their Instagram page: @benandjackie4hc