Editor’s Note: All responses were uniformly gathered from each of the three Student Association presidential candidates on Monday.

Drew Cleek

Hometown:
Estill Springs, Tenn.
Major:
Political Science/ Economics
Main goal if elected:
Increase the SA outreach to campus organizations and promote diverse interaction.
“To separate the divide between the average student and the Student Association. Everybody I talk to, they’re always like, ‘I just feel like the SA is just for Greeks and people that are really super involved.’ I don’t think it delegates towards me, but anybody that steps on campus is affected by the SA.”
Expected challenge if elected:
Changing the image of the SA and encouraging more student involvement.
“Getting those people to actually come out and do things, getting those people out of the dorms, getting those people who usually aren’t involved, involved and plugging them in. Right now you’ve got that stereotype and the [hardest] things ever to get rid of are stereotypes.”
Biggest student need at MSU:
Help student groups come together and aid them in receiving SA funding.
“Probably the biggest student needs are funding. I hear so many groups talking about funding, they’re underfunded or they don’t know how to go about getting involved with the SA. There’s so many groups that want to be plugged in, but don’t know how. That’s the big struggle, cohesion.”
Past SA positions:
Off-campus senator
SA Vice President
Campus Involvement:
ROTC
Model UN security council
Phi Delta Gamma
Scooba Dawgs
Campus Crusade for Christ
Reformed University Fellowship
Role Model:
Father
“My dad’s probably my biggest role model, just because we’re so much alike. He’s somebody that’s inspired me to do anything that I’ve really done.”

Thomas Sellers

Hometown:
Canton, Miss.
Major:
Kinesiology
Main goal if elected:
Create a lobbying board of students to represent higher education in Jackson.
“It’s really important we put a face with higher education. I’m really working on something called a lobbying board, a lobbying group. I’ve also established some connections with some senators . and they’ve all agreed that they need to see the face of higher education and kind of make it more real.”
Expected challenge if elected:
Balancing life as a student, working with administrators and representing the student body.
“It’s a huge balancing act between being a student, being student body president and working with administrators. You know you’re working with administrators, but you also remember, ‘Hey, I’m here for the students and I’m always supporting the students.'”
Biggest student need at MSU:
Listen to student transportation problems and look at improving the campus shuttle system.
“Lots of international students and lots of on-campus students have expressed needs about the shuttle system. I think that’s something that can always be improving and reworking as our campus redevelops. I think that’s something that’s continually an impact on every student every day and so that’s something that can always improve.”
Past SA positions:
Committee member
Election commissioner
Administrative Liaison
Campus Involvement:
Orientation Leader
Vice President of Sigma Alpha Epsilon
fraternity
College of Education Ambassador
Campus Crusade for Christ
Reformed University Fellowship
Role Model:
Father
“My dad and what he’s done for my family … I really look up to my dad, just as a fatherly figure.”

Randy Williams

Hometown:
Rienzi, Miss.
Major:
Technology teacher education
Main goal if elected:
Reconnect students with the student government and reach out to minority students.
“A lot of minorities and non-traditional students don’t know who represents them and don’t know what goes on, on campus. A lot of non-Greeks and non-traditional students are intimidated to really get involved in certain organizations just because they’re not Greek.”
Expected challenge if elected:
Finding ways to encourage participation among non-traditional and minority students.
“My goal is to get at least every student involved in at least one organization and I’ve already devised a couple of strategies to reach everybody on campus, especially freshmen and non-traditional students.”
Biggest student need at MSU:
Find ways to help save students money in the face of rising tuition costs.
“One of the things that I’m pushing for as far as saving money involves parking during football season. I’m a commuter and they’re charging commuters to park. Continue to work on the textbook policy, there’s not a whole lot we can do about parking. I don’t think the meal plans should be mandatory.”
Past SA positions:
Vice-elections commissioner
Campus Involvement:
Holmes Cultural Diversity Center peer
counselor
Generation 6:20
Future Educators Association
Black Student Alliance
Men of Excellence
Role Model:
Pastor
“He’s definitely been my main influence. It wasn’t until I got here that I had that kind of father figure. He’s definitely helped me out a lot and his influence has been great.”