The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) elections are coming up, and it's time to look into who's running to represent the downtown campus student body. There is only one ticket running, meaning the candidates are set.
Seanika Mathis, Drew Stanek and Ethan Best will represent the second-largest campus at the University. They will be in charge of voicing student concerns and needs to the University administration, the Arizona Board of Regents and the state Legislature.
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Mathis, a junior studying criminology and criminal justice, will become the next USG-D president.
Mathis has been involved with USG-D as a senator representing the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions since her freshman year. She has also taken positions within USG-D, such as director of diversity and inclusion, and serves as vice president of policy in the current Downtown executive.
The Mathis ticket is running on a platform focusing on "community, equity, authenticity, and accessibility."
"We want to help improve the lives and experiences of students at ASU," Mathis wrote in an email. "The main driving force behind our campaign is uplifting, supporting and bettering the Downtown ASU community. This comes in the form of providing resources and opportunities, making things more accessible for everyone in the community, connecting with everyone in the community and so on."
The Mathis ticket aims to connect students with state legislators, provide safe and accessible spaces for students, and improve the appropriations process.
"I understand that students may still be confused about appropriations, so, moving forward, I plan to push the information and resources out to students more and more," Mathis wrote in an email. "This may be done through social media posts, flyers, appropriation informational events, MCoE focus group meetings, office hours, etc."
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Drew Stanek, a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication, will be vice president of policy. He currently serves as USG-D Senate president and has previously served as a senator for Barrett, the Honors College.
Stanek said their ticket will improve the appropriations process for students and better inform them about potential money they are missing out on.
The Mathis ticket will look to revitalize the Arizona Center. Mathis said the Arizona center is "a space with a lot of potential," and Stanek agrees.
"We want to make it a comfortable space for students to be into, and so that just entails reaching out to potential businesses to get into the Arizona Center," Stanek said.
"I think sometimes students are tired of having events at Civic Space Park," Stanek continued. "It's convenient, and it's right there, and a lot of organizations do go for it, including USG, but the Arizona Center is something that we're looking at and looking to the future for."
Ethan Best completes the executive ticket as he will be the vice president of service. Best is a junior studying medical studies and is an honors student at Barrett, The Honors College. Best has served as a USG senator representing the College of Health Solutions.
"We want to improve the connection between student government and the student body," Best said. "I am looking forward to next year and the great things USGD will do."
Election day is March 26-27; results will be posted on April 1.
Edited by Grey Gartin, Walker Smith and Angelina Steel.
Reach the reporter at gnavar10@asu.edu and follow @GhadielN on X.
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