Hi Aztecs! Today’s the last day to vote for Associated Students! We’ve been listening to the speeches, and the majority of the candidates running for Associated Students positions are captivating and keen to make that change. But Her Campus SDSU wanted to speak each candidate one-on-one, for a more personal connection.
Meet the candidates running to be your next AS Vice President! Will you vote for Becca Cohen, Dillon Roark, Kyle Anderberg, or Jon Davidi? It’s a tough choice, but Her Campus interviewed each candidate to help you make an informed decision today!
Becca Cohen
Year: Junior
Major: Hospitality and Tourism Management, emphasis in Meetings and Events
What makes you the most qualified for this position?
I truly feel I have the dedication and the passion. As far as experience, I had the opportunity this past fall to sit on the Homecoming 2012 Steering Committee as the Homecoming Co-chair to develop the planning and execution of an entire week of student activities. I had the opportunity to collaborate with different departments on campus including Student Life and Leadership, student organizations, Athletics, and the Alumni Association. From that experience, I plan to continue those relationships, and take Homecoming and other school pride initiatives to the next level. Having served on A.S. Council for the past two terms I have had the opportunity to collaborate with an array of campus leaders and work toward bridging different communities on campus. I hope to use the respect I have gained with different entities of campus to collaborate together and enhance the overall student experience.
What has inspired you to run?
More than anything, my peers have really been my support. Having friends and mentors that motivate me each day to strive to be the best person I can be is what has made all the months of stressful planning worth it. Knowing that others truly believe in me and what I’m capable of changing at SDSU is truly inspiring and I will be forever grateful for all the support I’ve received. I truly want to take this campus to new height and leave a lasting legacy at SDSU. I hope to further empower the future leaders of SDSU and help set them up as the future of this campus.
What kind of positive change can you make on this campus?
Getting back to Alumni Relations. The fact that only 2% of Alumni give back is something that I hope to change and really focus my attention to. Connecting students now, while still in their undergraduate years will make them prideful in this campus and be strong Alumni later. Having them feel invested in this campus will help to better instill what it truly means to be an Aztec for Life!
What is your favorite SDSU memory?
Standing on the football field at halftime in the middle of the Homecoming 2012 game. Having invested so much time into the past months leading up to the whole week and then finally seeing thousands of students enjoying themselves, made the entire process worth it. Having students invested throughout the week on what we had invested so much time and energy in planning; and then having the opportunity to recognize the organizations that went above and beyond, was a personal feeling of accomplishment. Having the opportunity to celebrate the living definition of Aztec Pride was the entire experience on a silver plate. Personal to me, was having my sorority and the Panhellenic community so invested in Homecoming made me realize how much I had contributed to something so much bigger then myself.
Dillon Roark
Year: Senior
Major/Minors: Political Science, Economics minor and International Security and Conflict Resolution minor
What makes you the most qualified for this position?
I genuinely care for everything that I do. Anytime I’ve had a position or had the opportunity, I’ve developed the best way possible to take on the leadership position. I always take criticism and others’ opinions and I know that at the end of the day, my opinion is only so much as the people I’m representing. It’s important to me to always ask what people want. I’ve always had the voice to represent people. I’m not afraid to ask the questions that other people are. I don’t shy away from asking certain questions, especially when it comes to certain issues. I think that it’s a very important leadership quality because I’m willing to say things and ask things that others aren’t.
What has inspired you to run?
The thing that has inspired me to run the most has been my last couple of years on campus and being involved. My biggest mistake in high school was not being involved enough. A couple years ago, I realized I was doing the same thing in college and I didn’t want to do that. I realized I had the potential to do anything I wanted. I look at student leaders and see what makes them qualified and ask myself what would make myself qualified. I use that to challenge myself. Choices are made every day. You’re either active or inactive and I prefer to be active. When it comes to making decisions, I prefer to be active and represent people who are not willing to represent themselves.
What kind of positive change can you make on this campus?
I know I can bring a more cordial atmosphere when it comes to student interactions and organizations. And I’m willing to find out the necessary things on campus to help strengthen the student body. Sometimes it’s difficult to reach out, but honestly, sometimes it starts out with single face to face interactions. Start at the core, attend meetings, go up to people and ask, and in doing that, I believe there will be more participation once people know there’s a lending hand on campus that is willing and able to work with them.
What is your favorite SDSU memory?
My favorite memory was when the race team went to competition last summer in Nebraska and we road tripped. On that trip I became much more open with team members and it was truly one of those grassroots types of activity where it was pure motivation and interest amongst ourselves and it created lasting friendships. I think that’s important when we talk about student integration on campus because helping student foster their social and academic life on campus will help them create lasting friendships after college.
Kyle Anderberg
Year: Junior
Major: Civil Engineering
What makes you the most qualified for this position?
My dedication for the things that I love. I don’t do things without fully committing my time. Even though I do a lot, I still find the time for it. I’ve been really dedicated to Greek Life, both in my fraternity and IFC, as well as AS, as a member of different boards and committees and the Engineering College Representative. With the opportunity of Aztec Warrior came along, I took it seriously and was awarded the position that day. I wanted to vocalize my Aztec Pride more and advocate for students because every student is an Aztec. With that and leadership positions I’ve chosen and worked really hard for, I can really relate to a very diverse group of students. I have the positive Greek influence that I think our school needs because of the connotation that it has on the university. Also, I’m very involved in AS and my Aztec Warrior position helps me really show students that I’m excited to be an Aztec and that I really love SDSU.
What has inspired you to run?
Really, deep down, my parents pushed me to take on leadership positions and try different things. When I came to SDSU, I took the values they instilled in me and put them into the organizations I’m involved in. I’ve gotten involved and am a part of leadership in my fraternity, a part of IFC, and the Aztec Warrior. Deep down, my parents have instilled those values in me. My dedication has also helped fuel my fire for this. My inspiration has come from my love for this campus and university and student body that I represent and I take that wherever I go.
What kind of positive change can you make on this campus?
I think that showing students that I really do care about this university and things that are going on this campus and that I represent them and that I’m positive role model for the campus and really advocate for everything this university stands for is going to help me show students that I will make a positive impression on this campus. I can say all I want, but when I go out and really show people, that’s when I think I can really make the most difference.
What is your favorite SDSU memory?
I have two. The first is being the Activities Director for IFC and being very involved in Greek Week. We were able to motivate 2,000 students and raise $30,000 for our beneficiary, Cure Africa. Now they’re building a school in East Africa for kids to get an education. This was very important for me because I was able to represent SDSU as well as change the vision of what people think about Greeks and show that we can raise money and rally for an issue together is very big for us. The second is the first game as the Aztec Warrior, running out on court in front of all the students and using their energy to motivate me to excite the crowd for the team’s win.
Name: Jon Davidi
Year: Junior
Major: Political Science; Pre-Med
What makes you the most qualified for this position?
As Restructuring Committee Chair, I know that next year AS is going through an overhaul and executives need to know what is happening. I’ve been a part of the process for two years, and being the chair this past year has helped me realize that there is the potential for a lot of miscommunication and gaps in the structure and the EVP is perfect for someone with the most knowledge of the new structure.
What has inspired you to run?
The current EVP. I’ve been working very closely with Channelle since I first joined AS my Sophomore year. Working with her, seeing how she works and how she communicates with people inspired me. I see a lot of myself in her and her ability to keep it real. Working on the new structure has inspired me to be the person that implements it. It’s like my baby and I want to be there to see it through.
What kind of positive change can you make on this campus?
The big positive change I want to make is reach a new demographic of students. It’s easy to say that and it’s another thing to do that. I’m different from other candidates because I come from communities that are underrepresented in student government, whether it’s the Improv team or Jewish Student Union or the residence halls. I’m not the typical guy that runs for AS with the same platform that they have every single year, with the same ideas, leading to same results. My goal is to look out for the little guy. I’m a pretty little guy myself, but I can pack a punch and so can they.
What is your favorite SDSU memory?
My first Improv show at State. That was the first time I really put myself out there to an audience I’d never met and made myself vulnerable. Since that moment, I’ve been more comfortable speaking in front of people and being myself.
As Tony Snow so eloquently said, “Voting is a right best exercised by people who have taken time to learn about the issues.”
Now that you’ve learned more about the candidates, don’t forget to vote by 7 p.m. this evening. To vote, log onto WebPortal and click to cast your vote.