After a brief campaign period, four new freshmen have been elected to join the body of the student senate. The results were announced in a campus-wide email deployed Sept. 16.

The elected senators are as follows: Rebecca Shank, Elliott Kimball, Noah Grossnickle and Caleb Ribbeck.

Three of the newest members elected to the senate were candidates not listed on the ballots, a surprising outcome, says Ryan Williams, president of the student senate.

“Usually we don’t have that many write-ins,” Williams, a junior political science major, said.

Within the first weeks of the start of each academic year, student senate holds an election for freshmen students to select four representatives. Typically, freshmen candidates must submit an application to the senate indicating their interest in running and having their name printed on the voting ballot. 

Following the submission of their application, freshmen candidates often promote their candidacy through flyers, social media and classes. Though this year, just one name appeared on the printed ballot, and students were asked to write in qualified candidates for the remaining slots. 

The reason for the single printed candidate name was a lack of communication, said Williams. The student senate received a high amount of interest at the recent All Organizations Fair, though they neglected to collect contact information for freshmen stating they intended to run. Usually, these students would have received an individual reminder email including the deadline to submit their application to be placed on the ballot.

“It was an error on our part,” Williams said. 

Rebecca Shank, freshman psychology major, was one of the students enthusiastically campaigning to friends just days before the election, explaining her platform and that she would have to be written in on the ballot. 

“I wasn’t sure if it would work,” said Shank, who campaigned during meal times. 

Shank, who has past experience in student government, said her goal is to represent her fellow freshmen students rather than just the student senate organization itself.

“I’ve always loved being a voice for the people I represent,” she said. 

Shank plans to assist the recycling and campus beautification committee, where she hopes to improve the environment of the campus. She is ecstatic to be given the opportunity to represent her class through the senate.

“When I got the email I was so excited,” she said.

Shank and the other elected freshmen were sworn in as senators during the senate’s weekly meeting, held Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Williams values the different viewpoints that the new senators bring to the organization.

“I don’t want people to go with the flow,” he said.

Williams believes the addition of the new freshmen senators brings renewed energy and fresh opinions to the senate.

“It makes it more exciting to be there when people bring new ideas,” he said.

From what Williams has already seen from the short time that the senators have been elected, he believes that they are a good group of students and have a good future within the senate.

“I can see that they will help out a lot,” Williams said.