Marcus Abejar – Executive VP
Here at Southern Adventist University, I have learned so many things and have made so many memories that will stay with me forever. After being here for the past three years, I have decided it is time to give back to Southern by running for SA Executive Vice President.
My qualifications include Resident Assistant in Talge Hall, Student Mentor for the First Year Experience, Student Ambassador working with the Campus Experience Manager, Engage Ministries with leading worship, and Chair of the Finance Committee as a Student Association Senator. The people who’ve supported me and these experiences have shaped and formed me into the person I am today.
If elected as your next SA Executive Vice President, I will serve the Student Body to the best of my ability by implementing the following actions:
- Creating a better way to communicate between administration and students.
- Showcasing fellow student’s ideas to be implemented on campus through Senate.
- Finding more resources and creating opportunities to enable students to secure a job after graduation.
Everyone plans their steps, but few ever know where it will actually take them. Luke 5:11 says, “And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.” I plan to follow what God has in store for my life, because I trust, and have trusted, where God will take me.
I hope to serve you as your next Executive Vice President to help students bring forth their ideas and to not be afraid to help make this campus a better place, whether it be for academics, SA events, or even networking opportunities. I ask that you vote Marcus Abejar Student Association Executive Vice President for 2020-2021.
Nadine Peteros – Social VP
My name is Nadine Peteros and I am running for Student Association Social Vice President.
For many years, I have seen and experienced the impact that strong student leaders can make. I have always felt impressed by God to do what I can to help people, even with a simple smile. When God gives us a calling and an opportunity, you should run with it wholeheartedly.
I feel God has prepared me for a position of influence such as this. In highschool, I served my student body as class president for two years, as well as SA treasurer. Currently, I serve as Asian Club Vice president, SA senator and Vice President of marketing for ENACTUS.
Through these opportunities of leadership, I have developed a love and true passion for planning and organizing events that I know will bring joy to those attending. I believe I am now qualified to serve Southern’s students and campus.
In 1 Peter 4:10, we are called to use our God-given abilities and talents to serve Him. And as Social Vice President, I believe I can use my skills to create an environment on Southern’s campus that fosters community within the student body and one that leaves you with a smile.
Some ideas I have for next year’s SA events are: a lawn welcome back party, a music festival by the Goliath Wall, a WIPEOUT competition, and a Minute-to-Win-It night. I hope to work hand-in-hand with Southern students to work together to cultivate fun and put those visions into reality the best way the SA team can.
Student leadership is a constant journey of adapting and learning. However, I look forward to putting my whole heart and all my effort into each event.
Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:23-24 that in WHATEVER we do, we must work heartily for the Lord. With God’s help, hard work and my experience and current skills, I know I am fit for this position, and I look forward to serving my Southern family as social vice president to create a fun and memorable year.
Sheryl Kambuni – President
For most students, Southern is “home.” We spend a significant portion of the year on this campus, and everything that happens here affects us. Therefore, it is only fair that students have a voice; a way to integrate the student body in shaping policy. My goal is to make structural changes on this campus that allow me to address the problems that students are facing, giving students a say in campus policy.
The first of these changes is in collaboration with the Christian Service Program, creating a way for community service to count as cultural credit. This addresses the student need for more cultural credit prospects, while giving students an opportunity to serve.
The second change would be funding for small clubs. This gives students the power to work on projects that benefit them and gives small clubs the chance to grow.
The third change would be partnering with the food pantry. This raises awareness for services that are available to students, while making the services more efficient so that they can better serve students.
As president, I would also like to join forces with the student counseling department. Anxiety and depression are problems that students battle with. The counseling services have been a great resource in combating this, but this service has not been able to operate at full capability. Partnering with them ensures that students continue to get better help.
I want to reach out to the Collegedale government to put lights on the greenway. Making the less-lit areas brighter helps students feel more secure.
Mentorship has been important to me in my life. It would be an asset to have a program that grows alumni mentorship and gives students the chance to make connections and develop skills that will be useful to them after they graduate. The School of Visual Arts and Design and the School of Journalism and Communication have “The Roundtable” event every year where the alumni from their departments come and do three-days workshops and mentoring. Using this as a template, I think it is something that each department can implement to fit its students.
More than addressing problems, I want to cultivate the creative energy of the students. I would be lying if I said I had all the solutions or ideas, but I want to create an environment where students feel heard, an environment where student suggestions are acted upon.
Luis Moreno – President
“Equals”
“Cultural Liason”
I plan on implementing an entirely new SA position for next year’s cabinet: Our “Cultural Liason” position. The purpose of this new position is to assist in bridging the gap between cultural issues happening in our student body and the administration itself. Working closely with both of the diversity advisors to President Dave Smith, this new Student Association Officer will be the go-to person when cultural issues arise on this campus.
Secondly, they will also work closely with the diversity advisors and myself to create an updated cultural sensitivity training program to educate staff members on culturally sensitive issues. Thirdly, they will create more cultural credit opportunities on this campus. Lastly, they will work with the major cultural clubs on this campus in order to give them a stronger voice.
“Dorm Reform”
A complete overhaul of the leave system is necessary. We need to loosen the reins on our students in order to help them grow into the strong Christian women and men they are capable of becoming, while also providing the necessary support to the deans and the office managers in order to make this change a reality.
Leave Requests should be instantly approved when older students (who have not had previous issues) sign out with ample notice. I also plan on addressing the inequalities between the girls dorm and the boys dorm.
“Administrators = Students”
As SA president, I plan to highlight staff members through social media campaigns and, working closely with the Accent, create articles that show the hard work that staff members do for us.
423 v2
While I will be giving the vendors the attention they deserve, 423 will shift gears and become a more music-focused event. I plan on changing the venue to Cambridge Square, and to highlight students’ musical talents in a way that has not traditionally been done before.
Fostering a sense of family
Lastly, from all my years on SA, I have learned that the best teams are the ones that can foster a sense of family, so strong that it is felt by people not on SA.
I plan on building a team that will be a family. A family that will open its arms and accept everyone and anyone, and whose mission will be to serve you, the students. With God’s help, we will create a stronger, closer Christian movement of equality.