When and why did you decide to run for student government?When I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to do more with my time here at Loyola than just going to class; I wanted to get involved somehow. I wanted to be able to make some change at school and that’s why I decided to run for the Student Government Association (SGA).

What are your plans for next year as you will be Student Body President?With the help of my two Vice Presidents, Omani Guy and Tracy Petruziello, we are going to focus on communication and cooperation between clubs, organizations and groups on campus. There are so many options at Loyola for students to get involved. The problem is that there is not always open communication between clubs and groups that could help one another, which would make each other better while still retaining their individual identities. For instance, if a group wants to bring in a speaker, they could join up with another club and split the cost. Or, the Advertising Club could help out a fundraiser for another club by doing all their advertisements. It is our belief that if we get all the groups to look beyond their own organization, it will strengthen not only their own club, but Loyola in general.

Communication was one of the main platforms we used in our election process. Rather than tell the students what we could do for them, we asked them what they wanted and took to heart the comments they made. We want there to be an informal relationship between the student body and SGA. We want them to feel like the door is always open to them and that we are here to listen.

Why do you think it is important to be a student leader on campus?This is a tough question. I think there are two types of people in the world, leaders and followers. Both play an important role in every facet of life. I think if you have the ability and desire to lead, then you should lead. However, student leaders must recognize the importance of their position and stay in communication with those they are leading. Only through working together do leaders get anything accomplished.

What are your plans for after graduation? Will they include anything in government?To be honest, I am not completely sure of my plans after college. I am studying finance, so I may take that path, but I might go the governmental route, or, who knows, I’m even seriously considering the Peace Corps. I’m not opposed to the idea of government, as long as I am making a worthwhile change through my work. I could easily see myself as a candidate running for local office just as easily as I could see myself being the person behind the scenes. The great thing about coming to a school like Loyola is that I know that by the time I graduate, I will have the skill sets to do a wide array of jobs that could interest me.