It’s election time! At Xavier, the two tickets of student executives for 2015, JMJ (Jake, Megan and Jack) and AFJ (Andrew, Fare and Josh) have been campaigning and informing Xavier students about their platforms through events such as outdoor campaigning and dinner in Hoff Dining Commons.
On Sunday, February 8 from 3:00-6:00 PM there will be indoor canvassing, where AFJ and JMJ supporters visited each different resident building, knocking on doors and handing out flyers to talk up their platform. The Board of Elections events provide an opportunity for each of the tickets to interact with the student body and gain exposure on campus.
Now, let’s meet the 2015 JMJ candidates:
Name: Jake Haigis
Favorite thing to do in Cincinnati: Exploring new upcoming restaurants around the downtown area, specifically OTR
Something people may not know about you: Third generation in his family to be a Muskie
Why do you think you’re qualified to run for student executive?: “I’ve been involved with SGA for two years and chaired the Student Organizations Committee and the Academic Affairs Committee. I’m also a Community Engaged Fellow and treasurer of Unified for Uganda. Over the years I have developed a strong understanding of the importance of community and leadership, which will benefit me in working with students, administrators, and community partners.”
Name: Megan Brault
Favorite thing to do in Cincinnati: Sit on the big steps of the Serpentine Wall in Sawyer Point Park (downtown Cincinnati) in the summer to look out over Newport and watch the boats go by
Something people may not know about you: Born on Halloween
Why did you think you’re qualified to run for student executive? “Through all of my leadership experiences at Xavier, such as serving on Senate, working at the Gallagher Student Center welcome desk, and serving as a Manresa Orientation Team leader, I feel well prepared to lead the student body. I have a love of meeting new people and taking a personal interest in students of all backgrounds. My drive to serve students and my outgoing personality are the building blocks to my confidence in leading this school.”
Name: Jack Bainbridge
Favorite things to do in Cincinnati: Attending Reds Games
Something people may not know about you: Studying abroad in London this summer
Why did you think you’re qualified to run for student executive?: “My experiences on the Student Activities Council have taught me how to collaborate with many populations on Xavier’s campus in order to provide the students with unique and impactful programs.
I sat down with Jake, Megan and Jack, the “Student Centered, Future Focused” ticket, to talk to them about the upcoming campaign. Their platform is divided into six sections: Academics, Campus Life, Safety, Community, Communication and Outside of the Classroom. Read on to learn more about JMJ and their unique dynamic.
If you wanted the Xavier population to know one thing on your platform, what would it be?:
We would want them to know our fantastic four points, which consists of CLC hours, the Xavier safety app, student discounts for Uber and Lyft, and more eateries in Gallagher and University Station.
How excited are you about your platform?
We’re really excited about our platform because for the past couple of months, we’ve been meeting with students and administrator to make sure that every point we have is feasible.
What makes you mesh well as a team?
At the heart of our ticket, we know that we’re student-centered, so any decision that we make is not for ourselves, but for the students. We’re running to better students’ experiences at Xavier. We understand each other’s strengths and recognize each other’s weaknesses
What’s the hardest part of the process?
The hardest part is conveying our message to the Xavier student body about ourselves, our platform and our desire to represent our school.
What has been your favorite thing, so far, throughout campaigning?
Our favorite part so far was outdoor campaigning, when we saw all of our supporters come together to advocate for JMJ and all of our planning came into action. It was rewarding to meet many different Xavier students and hear their input regarding Xavier’s future.
How did you come up with your t-shirt design?
The design reflects our desire to focus all changes on Xavier students. Our decision that we made came back to the idea that we are student centered and future focused. The open circle represents all current and future students and the arrow points the university into a forward moving direction.
And last but not least, why did you choose to run for executive?
We want to run as an executive ticket because of our love for Xavier, our leadership experiences on campus, and our passion for working with students across the university.
Remember to vote sometime between Wednesday, February 11 at 8:00 AM and Thursday, February 12 at 4:00 PM. No matter what ticket you support, be sure to put your vote in because every vote counts.