By Marisa RussellSTAFF WRITER
For the first time since 2011 the Student Government Association is holding elections with a competing ticket. On Monday April 14, Alyson Guarino and Damian Gallagher announced their campaign for president and vice president of SGA, respectively. Guarino and Gallagher hosted a press conference on Wednesday April 16 to discuss with students the ideas they would implement while in office.
“The G&G Campaign is the campaign to inform and educate students about what Alyson Guarino and Damian Gallagher stand for,” said Guarino. She said the process has been exciting for her, explained that she is happy to speak to students about what they would like to see changed.
Students, faculty and administration are all working with the current candidates, both Guarino and Gallagher and Nicole Olsen and Whitney Shepard, to give the candidates perspective going through the campaign. Guarion said that through gaining signatures to be on the ticket, she and Gallagher shaped many of their ideas.
“We developed the ideas from the students,” Guarino said. “As a ticket, Damian and I were required to collect 1,000 signatures total from different students on campus. We developed our initiatives through those conversations.”
Her passion to develop SGA led her to run for the position.
“Our vision is to give every student an equal opportunity to attain an excellent education, achieve his or her fullest potential through discovering their value and purpose, and to instill a feeling of pride within every member of the Hofstra Community,” said Guarino.
Along with the press conference, the ticket has also expressed their ideas through social media, and like Olsen and Shepard, they welcome all students to give their thoughts about SGA to them. Guarino explained that running on a competitive ticket has been a unique experience.
“During campaigning, I have met with so many different students, and administration, and every day I grow more passionate about the future,” said Guarino. “I know that I can’t do everything on my own, and having other people support me and my vision is so exciting, because I truly believe that SGA can become a resource for students, a safe haven for students, and one of the many places on campus that grows leaders.”
Club leaders and students show can their support for each ticket, and SGA elections were held April 22 and continued on April 23 on the Hofstra portal.