Jessica Henry
Student Writer
SGA recently announced Jamie-Claire Chau as the student body president-elect and Megan Eaton as the vice president-elect for next year. Chau and Eaton were the only pair to run for the positions.
“The largest difference between an uncontested election and one with multiple candidates is that the election process becomes more of a formality,” Student Body Vice President Julie Heisey says. SGA also held uncontested elections in 2014 and 2015.
Chau and Eaton’s official campaign began on February 27 and will end tonight. An official election will be held with the polls opening tonight at 9 p.m. and closing on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Student Body President: Jamie-Claire Chau
Year: Junior
Major: Sociology and Anthropology
Why did you decide to run for SBP?
Last semester, I had the opportunity to serve as Chair of the Multicultural Council, one of the executive organizations under SGA. I loved being in a position to see the abilities of my peers be drawn out by their passions, to be able to offer myself and my resources to develop them further as individuals, as leaders in our world. As I considered my last year at Messiah, I realized that I wanted to continue being inspired and inspiring the students around me. As student body president, I would really get the chance to be involved in all sectors of student life, to continue learning from amazing student leaders and to be able to support them through relationships we build.
What are your plans for leading SGA and the student body next year?
My main hope for leading SGA and the student body next year is to inspire boldness in our students, to more confidently do the good work we’ve been doing, and to take risks to make our work good if it isn’t quite there yet. More specifically, I want to encourage both individuals and organizations to really evaluate their work, whether it’s academic or extracurricular, to see if what they are doing matters in our world infected with pollution, materialism, systemic poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, prejudice, slavery, etc.
Student Body Vice President Candidate: Megan Renee Eaton
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biochemistry
Are there any specific issues you want to address as a leader in our school?
I want every individual on campus to feel as if they belong here. I would like to make it easier for students to find school-sponsored activities that they are interested in. I want to foster a space for students to talk openly with each other about uncomfortable topics. I want to address the issues of misunderstanding and tension that come from ignorance, whether unintended or intentional. Overall, I truly want to create a better Messiah experience for all students, no matter what race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or political views.
What impact do you hope to have in this role?
I hope that I impact people because I lead with love. I want to inspire students through my actions. I want to inspire them to be confident in who they are, to ask the difficult questions, and to speak up for their beliefs. In addition, I hope to encourage students to step outside of their comfort zone because outside of it, growth occurs. I believe that I am in a position to generate great change and I hope that the change I produce impacts future classes to come.