It’s finally Student Senate election season at Waynesburg University. This year’s executive board elections have been altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive board elections are usually held in the spring semester, but they were moved to the fall after students were sent home due to COVID-19 in the spring. The 2020 executive board elections will be held on Wednesday Sept. 9, and Thursday Sept. 10. There will be a tent in Johnson Commons monitored by disinterested Student Senators open for students to vote for candidates. The executive board elections are the first of two separate Student Senate elections. The general Student Senate elections will be held next week on Wednesday Sept. 16, and Thursday Sept. 17.
There are two contested elections for the executive board: president and executive vice president.
The 2020 Student Senate Executive Board Elections:
President:
– Holly Ludvigsen
– Luke Diel
Executive Vice President:
– Alexandra Morar
– Scott Rykala
Academic Vice President:
– Elliot Kimbal
Social Vice President:
– Isaiah Skeete
Treasurer:
– Tyler Wright
Secretary:
– Andrew Hreha
Presidential Candidate Holly Ludvigsen
Holly Ludvigsen is a senior criminal justice major. She has three years of experience with the Student Senate. Ludvigsen served as a senator her freshman year, Treasurer in her sophomore year and the Executive Vice President last year.
Ludvigsen wants to make sure students are aware of the Student Senate.
“I want to make sure people are coming to us with their issues,” said Ludvigsen. “We are here to make life better for all students. People don’t know about senate or what senate is intended to do, and I want to change that.”
Ludvigsen wants to focus on the polling committee, finding ways to get students involved, helping students express their concerns, and service.
“The senate has a unique position to address student’s needs,” Ludvigsen said. “I am incredibly passionate and experienced.”
Presidential Candidate Luke Diel
Luke Diel is a junior political science major. He has two years of experience with the Student Senate. Diel served as a senator his freshman year, and Treasurer last semester after being appointed by President Ryan Williams.
Diel wants student concerns to be heard.
“Our job is to listen to the students, listen to those needs, and take them straight to President Lee and the administration,” said Diel. “Anyone can come to the student senate and express an issue, and that is a promise I have. When you bring forward an issue, I will focus on it.”
Diel wants to focus on creating online ordering for the Beehive, limiting the Student Senate budget, continuing the polling committee and changing general education science requirements to have one required course instead of two.
“I want to hear and open all ears for every student,” Diel said. “Problems can be solved, and we can make a difference.”
Executive Vice President Candidate Alexandra Morar
Alexandra Morar is a junior political science major. She has two years of experience with the Student Senate. She served as a senator her freshman year, and Treasurer in the fall semester last year before studying abroad in Spain.
Morar wants the Student Senate to focus on students.
“I want to interact with the students with service,” Morar said. “We are supposed to be a voice for the students, and we haven’t really been doing that.”
Morar wants to see more action from the budget and recycling committees. She also wants to continue the polling committee, as well as create a pen pal service project with elders in nursing homes.
“People should vote for me to get their voices heard,” Morar said. “As the Senate, we can talk to the president, and talk to the provost. People should vote for me if you want change in the school.”
Executive Vice President Candidate Scott Rykala
Scott Rykala is a senior finance major. He has one year of experience with the Student Senate. He served as a senator last year as a junior in the spring of 2020 after (He was in DC in the fall, returned in the spring) studying abroad in Washington DC.
Rykala wants to see Waynesburg University succeed.
“I want student senate and Waynesburg to be better off after the work we do this year,” Rykala said. “Senate has been doing very good things. I like to hear what students are saying.”
Rykala wants to continue the polling committee with a growth agenda.
“Polling is so critical,” Rykala said. “If we write our problems down and have statistical data to back it up, that’s what we can show to administration.”
Rykala is ready to assist the president and be a right-hand man to solve problems.