Student Government Candidate Forum commences

With student government elections coming up Tuesday, the two parties fielding candidates discussed their values and stances on various topics in the Hearth Lounge Wednesday. 

Presidential candidate Sierra Roiger and vice presidential candidate David Mesta from the Mavericks United party are facing off against presidential candidate Destined Sehgbean and vice presidential candidate Ruth Asmamaw from the Representing Mavericks party. 

The two parties gathered at noon for a forum where students could ask the candidates questions.

Question 1: What do you want your legacy to be after your potential term in Student Government?

Destined Sehgbean: I want to set up a cabinet of student leaders that comprise the heads of all of the different RSO’s we have on campus and this would create transparency in Student Government.

Sierra Roiger: I want to make sure that every single student’s voice from one student to a thousand students is being heard and make sure that administration and faculty understand that students are here to learn, yes, but they will also want to make sure they are being heard and that everything they want to see done is getting done.

Question 2: What do you think is the biggest issue students are facing on campus and what will you do to address it?

Roiger: The food pantry is serving a lot of students. However, it does not have enough funds to help support all the students that it could be supporting. I want to increase the support for the food pantry and make sure that more students know where it is, as well as make it more accessible for more hours. 

Sehgbean: I think the biggest challenge to us as a university is access to resources. I think this is a big issue because we have a lot of resources. It’s not that we don’t have these opportunities. We have a lot of scholarships, we have a lot of financial resources on our campus. But unfortunately, do students really know where they can find them? I think lack of access to resources is a very big issue and a very big challenge.

Question 3: What is one promise that you can make today to the student body that you commit to keeping next year if elected?

Sehgbean: I can promise my commitment as well because my personality is that I’m very committed. When I commit myself to something I hold myself to really high standards. So that comes in with integrity.  I can promise my time and energy and everything to a student in order to make all of these platforms that I have in order to make them work. I have to be available for students because my party is representing Mavericks which means we represent you. We will be here because we care.

Roiger: I promise to constantly be there. I have shown this year that I am able to commit to things and I commit to it wholeheartedly. I am always there for students and I’m always wanting to hear from every single student, even if it’s just one student who has one thought, I like to take that one thought and bring it up so I’ll always make sure I’m here for the students but not there just for my own personal reasons. 

The vice presidents also took the podium to express their views. 

Question 1: How do you intend to support your potential president in your role next year as vice president?

Ruth Asmamaw: I’ll attend to my running mate by providing him with the necessary resource, support and guidance he needs to be successful in his role.

David Mesta: When it comes to supporting my running mate Sierra, it’s making sure that we’re able to do one on one check-ins, that we’re able to communicate and make sure that we’re splitting the tasks. At the end of the day, we are a partnership, so that means making sure that we’re working together, we’re able to connect, and we’re able to have weekly discussions. That’s the goal of being the Vice President, just the right hand to the Student Government president.

Question 2: Even if you’re not elected, how do you plan on pursuing your goals or being involved with the student government?

Asmamaw: I will see the opposition that the elected group has, and how my strength and ability can collide with that position. I will be there to represent my ideas because it’s not about my personal feelings that I’m running for this position but to help the students.

Mesta: We are still student leaders and that’s making sure that we’re working with student government. If not elected I’ll continue being a student advocate and the multicultural center and student government on issues of DEI. You don’t need a title to be a leader.

Header photo: Student Government candidates Sierra Roiger (top) and Destined Seghbean take the podium to discuss their views with the upcoming election in mind. (Lilly Anderson/The Reporter)

Write to Julia Lin at julia.barton@mnsu.edu