With Spring Break at an end, it’s time to meet another candidate from this years Student Senate race. Miranda Wagner (@_mirandalw) is a junior majoring in economics from Shawnee, KS and is running with the Grow KU coalition as the Vice Presidential candidate.
What are most significant value and messages of your campaign?
Grow KU is all about bringing together students from all corners of campus to make the change they want to see happen on campus. Challenging the status quo is also central to our mission, which is reflected in our platforms so far and the way we are reaching out to as many students as possible. We’ve kept our team open and inviting, which has resulted in a lot of exciting developments already.
What are the specific focuses and major changes you hope to make if you win?
Student Senate is in need of a culture change right now. I know for a fact that many student groups are afraid to ask Senate for funding, which really upsets me since we are supposed to be here to serve students. This year we’ve seen a lot of senators taking up the challenge of representing students well, standing up to administrators and making tough decisions, but we’ve also seen politics getting in the way of real progress. By building a team of positive and hardworking individuals from all over campus, Grow KU is making sure student voices are the priority in Senate and the University as a whole.
If elected, what is the first thing you will address?
If elected, the first priority will be ensuring a smooth turnover and setting the tone for the new Senate. It is one of our goals to ensure Senate is a constructive and productive environment so we can all continually improve in our service to the student body.
When you’re not running for VP, what are you doing for fun?
This campaign certainly takes up most of my life at the moment, but I managed to finish season two of House of Cards last week and there’s always time to catch up with friends over tea at La Prima Tazza. I will also welcome the distraction of March Madness in the coming weeks.
Growing up, did you ever think you would run for something like this?
I can’t say that I ever thought I would be running for this particular position. I was student body vice president in high school but that was very different from Student Senate at KU. This whole process of joining Senate following my involvement elsewhere on campus has been very rewarding and eye-opening; my experiences prior to this campaign have given me a different perspective on Senate’s role and the role of the student body vice president.
What makes Grow KU unique?
Our team is unique because we are tackling big picture issues with our platforms and ideas. My favorite example is our goal to open up the conversation about mental health. By partnering with existing student organizations such as Active Minds, we are bringing more students into this discussion. We will work with CAPS to make mental health services more visible on campus. The last step is establishing a means to subsidize the cost of mental health services for students with financial need. Some 2/3 of students with mental health problems never seek help; we’re seeking ways to change that on campus, which will affect students for the rest of their lives. This is just one way our ideas are aiming for an impact further than the waves we’ll see on campus.
Why should people vote for you?
Students should vote for this team and all the ideas we have because we have a mix of students with the experience necessary to make these ideas a reality, as well as students with fresh perspectives. Every day new voices join our conversation and improve our ever-evolving mission. This team has put its trust in me partly due to the experiences that shaped me into the leader I am, but also because I am motivated to get up every day and work hard to make this University better. I will always prioritize student rights and needs, especially when it is difficult and when the University pushes back. It’s why I choose to stick with Senate even when it’s tough.
What does it mean to you to be the VP of the student body?
To me, the role of Student Body Vice President means many things. Outside of Senate, the VP should be taking up initiatives to improve the KU experience for everyone. This is definitely not limited to the platforms Grow runs on, since student needs are always changing and new ideas should be sought out all year. Within Senate, the VP chairs full Senate meetings, which means facilitating smooth meetings and recognizing senator voices when they wish to speak. This role is significant to me since Senate’s success depends on productive conversation at meetings and the ability of senators to voice their opinions on behalf of the students they represent.
What does your family think about your running for student senate?
My family is very supportive of my decision to run for Senate again. As a first-generation college student, I consider myself very lucky to have parents who have always cheered me on and done all they can to help me. My dad tells me, “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” which has largely motivated my involvement at KU and my desire to make it a better place for everyone to find their passion.
How to you balance a social life, school, work and winning this campaign?
This campaign does take up a lot of my time and attention the moment, but thankfully it’s a very exciting and fulfilling experience. I’ve been really good about introspection lately and I take time each day to remind myself why we’re doing this and the bigger picture. And like I said, there’s always time for tea with friends.
What does it take to be a successful VP? What characteristics of a person are required to truly make a difference.
A successful student body vice president must be adamant in standing up for students and ensuring their voices are the priority. From my experiences and conversations in and around Senate this year, I have heard a concern that higher-ups sometimes need a reminder that students are what make this University. I believe a VP needs to not only follow through on the platforms and values they ran on, but must also be continuously seeking new ways to serve students and make the KU experience better for everyone. A strong VP must speak up, be diligent and be willing to make tough decisions.
What inspired you or motivated you to get involved with student senate?
My involvement in Student Senate began just when someone my sophomore year said, “Hey, you should run for Senate.” It blew my mind because I didn’t see myself as political or a vote-getter, but I was inspired by the values of democracy and integrity of others on that team, and I knew I wanted to be part of that, too. Senate has the capacity, funds and motivation necessary to make change happen and empower others to make change happen. I’m running again because I want to use the Senate structure to do unprecedented things for the student body.
How has being part of Grow KU changed you?
Being with Grow KU has reminded me that dedicated people supporting each other is really something special. I can’t explain to you the feeling I get when we talk about our ideas and goals and dreams for this University and every student here. This team has made me more optimistic than I’ve ever been before, and I consider myself lucky to be among such extraordinary people.