Meet Eric Reznicek, a junior Marketing and Finance major from Omaha, Nebraska who was recently elected as the new President of ASUN! Read about what Eric and his team plan to do for you, and find out how to get more involved in your university and community.
HC: First off, how does it feel to be the new President of ASUN?
Eric: Simply amazing. After all the hard work that Kaitlin, Jeff, the team and I put in over the last few months, it feels great to walk away with the win. I am also very excited to get to work. Throughout the campaign, it is easy to boast upon what you hope to get done, but it is now that we are truly presented with the opportunity to act on our ideas and aspirations for ASUN.
HC: What do you want to bring to ASUN during your term as President?
Eric: There really are a couple of things I wish to work on during my term. First and foremost are our platforms that we ran on during the election. Student Election Groups (SEGS) in the past have been notorious for advertising themselves on their platforms and ideas, and once winning the election, never seem to get around to actually completing them. Our team wants to pride ourselves on our ability to accomplish the things we ran on.
The other major thing I want to focus on, and this is largely based on my position, is decreasing the vertical hierarchy within the organization. At times there can be a disconnect between the executive members of this organization and its committee members, so by increasing communication, working with students and committees throughout the organization, and being a laborer within ASUN, I hope to create a much more social, connected, and productive feel to the organization.
HC: How did you become interested in student government?
Eric: Freshman year I was lucky enough to have been reached out to by a couple of the executive members of ASUN at the time. At this point, I really did not have an organization or group to belong to; I was more or less just going through the motions of college life. After going to my first meeting for that year’s campaign, I knew I was hooked. Student government truly presents students with the opportunity to have a voice in what’s going on with our school. It allows students to become invested in their education and to build a relationship with the university by truly being a part of the university and its direction.
HC: When did you decide that you wanted to run for Student Body President?
Eric: It was this past summer that I truly decided. Hours, days, and weeks went in to thinking and deciding if this was the right choice, and after careful consideration, the decision was made to run. A large portion of my motivation came after beginning discussions with Kaitlin and Jeff, who were to run as internal and external vice presidents. We began discussing what the possibilities looked like, where we could make a difference, and our strengths to lead the student body, and it became clear that we truly believed we were, and are, the best suited for the job.
HC: What exactly does the ENGAGE platform entail?
Eric: Specifically, we are looking to do three things; engage students, engage sustainability, and engage student organizations. By engaging students, we plan to create a third Nebraska College Preparatory Academy in South Omaha, as well as the creation of an international student orientation program to increase relations between domestic and international students, and ensure their success at our university. By engaging sustainability, we wish to begin a program humorously named, “Do It In The Dark”. This program would involve student housing, Greek housing, and buildings on campus to compete in a weekly sustainability competition. Finally, by engaging student organizations, we plan to personalize the process of becoming a student organization. By sharing more information and working in a ‘hands-on’ mentality, we will work to ensure that every student can find something to belong to.
More importantly, the overall theme of “Engage” is to work with students and to engage them and encourage them to get involved. We are firm believers that students will not get everything out of the college experience by simply attending classes and reading textbooks; there needs to be a connection with their campus, and that is created by finding something on campus that they can be passionate about. We have already seen successes along the way in getting students engaged as we had record voter turnouts in both the primary and run-off elections.
HC: What sets ENGAGE apart from the other parties?
Eric: I think a lot of what I just explained above is what makes us unique; by ensuring that we remain broad in our scope and engaging students from all parts of campus and all walks of life. Experience also plays a major role in running an organization such as ASUN. Both of these things are going to help us succeed within this next year.
HC: Any advice for those who might want to get involved in ASUN or other student organizations, but aren’t sure how to?
Eric: Getting involved in ASUN is much easier than people think. Simply put, just come on in to the office. Chances are, you will be greeted at the door by a smiling Paula that can point you in the direction you need. Since ASUN works with all aspects of campus, our involvement opportunities are very diverse. I guarantee that every student who walks through our doors can find something they are passionate about.
On that note, we have just released all the applications for open positions for this coming year. We really want to encourage students to stop by, say hi, and see where they can make a difference! If students want a more informal approach, please hop online and message either Kaitlin, Jeff, or me. We are always happy to talk with students about getting involved.
HC: Tell us more about The Big Event and how we can help.
Eric: The Big Event is, in the least amount of words, AMAZING. The Big Event this year is on April 13th, but registration is due this Friday, the 29th. I am a firm and proud believer of The Big Event. As students, we don’t always have the resources and means to give back to our community. The Big Event is a means in which to do so by giving simply of your time. It creates a direct connection between students and their community.
Getting involved is fun too! We encourage people to register alongside their friends so that they can work together and socialize too. The Big Event also serves breakfast and lunch to its volunteers, donated from local businesses in the area. Everything about that day is centered on giving.
Our goal this year is 3,000 volunteers, up from 2,400 last year. To achieve this amazing growth we need EVERYONE to sign up! You can sign up at http://bigevent.unl.edu/be-volunteer.