Walker Carlisle and Ben Durrough won Student Government Association President and Vice President on March 15 after campaigning for a week and remaining solo on the ballet.
Carlisle stated, “We ran on five main pillars, fostering community relations, improving campus and its facilities, advocating for academic excellence, providing students with benefits, and enhancing transparency with internal operations. Within these five main pillars, there were nine operations in each. That leaves us with 45 operations that were just as significant in each way.”
One of the campaigning events prior to the elections, was an open Town Hall so candidates had the opportunity to be available for questions from the student body. Carlisle stated, “Dr. Van Brunt questioned me about how I should refocus Jesuit values into our student body community. I responded by advocating for more campus clean-ups, declaring a SGA philanthropy, and assisting the Sports Athletic Advising Committee (SAAC) with their current Make-A-Wish Foundation donations. Her question resonated with me because I want to foster a community where philanthropy thrives and service strides.”
Ben Durrough, a junior in the 3 plus 1 Business program, assisted Carlisle in their successful campaign. Durrough stated, “I’m really excited to implement our pillars that we have discussed because many of the solutions involved with these pillars are very simple, easy tasks. Carlisle and I are really excited to show off what we can do and how quickly we can do it.”
Ben continued, “We really just saw change that needed to happen and we wanted to be the ones to make that change.”
During the campaign week, the two gathered support from different clubs and organizations around campus. They acquired endorsements from Phi Mu, Campus Programming Board, SAAC, and the Inter-Fraternal Council. Carlisle stated, “Many of these ideas are going to improve their organizations and how they gather more support for their clubs. It was as simple as planning a meeting with the organization’s presidents, presenting my solutions, and obtaining their official endorsement signatures.”
Quincy Curley and Cira Chiocco ran opposing the two, but dropped on March 13 stating the reason on their campaign Instagram as, “Because of the potential ineligibility for a Senate position that one faces if not elected to the presidency”.
During Carlisle’s previously held position in SGA, he gained student discounts from local businesses, brought onion rings back to McKinney’s, and launched a “Where’s My Plate?” Campaign to bring back proper dining materials in the caf.
Carlisle and Durrough will be inaugurated in April. “Our first initiative involves Camp Smile. They come on campus in April and I want SGA to get involved by hosting our own game station for the campers.”
For more information, email Walker Carlisle at [email protected].
