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SGA elections: get to know the presidential candidates

Group photo is courtesy of Sarah Marsh. Taken by Entrepreneurship Club.
Group photo is courtesy of Sarah Marsh. Taken by Entrepreneurship Club.
SGA elections: get to know the presidential candidates/ Group photo is courtesy of Sarah Marsh. Taken by Entrepreneurship Club.

Elections for next academic’s year student government will shortly conclude. Students may vote for a Student Government Association (SGA) president/vice president ticket and senators.

To vote, log into the WINGS homepage. Above the ‘Announcements’ tab,  From there, click on the heading which reads ‘Student government voting’ and submit your vote. Polls will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Before you vote, make sure you know the candidates and what they plan to do for next year.

Here is what to know about each candidate:

SGA Candidates: Emily Bundensen/provided by Emily Bundensen
SGA Candidates: Emily Bundensen/provided by Emily Bundensen

Emily Bundensen

Emily Bundensen, 20, is a junior in business management at Wright State. She has served two terms on SGA, both as director of student affairs and as a student affairs committee leader for the Freshman Internship Program, a sub-program of SGA.

Bundensen is campaigning alongside running mate Austin Rex, an economics major and director of outreach and communications with SGA.

A Dayton-area native, Bundensen said she came to Wright State for the convenient location but stayed for the campus community.

“Something I love here is that I am a name and not a number and my professors and friends truly care about me and my success as a student,” Bundensen said.

Bundensen said she wants to create a welcoming culture at Wright State and support diversity within the campus community and student body government.

“Wright State is not just school to me, it’s where I can be myself and see the people who fill me with joy each and every day. I feel comfortable anywhere I go on campus and I want to create a culture at this campus that makes everyone feel like they made the right choice in choosing WSU,” Bundensen said.

If elected, Bundensen said she would want to increase recruitment and retention, establish a strong sense of school pride, and the campus community recover from this semester’s faculty strike. She also wants to bring back the College Rep Leadership Summit, an event which invites Dean Student Advisory Boards to collaborate and discuss the future of their colleges.

Bundensen also belongs to the sorority Alpha Omicron, serves as a chair with Raiderthon, and has worked with the Wright State ’67 Society, a student organization representing the offices of annual giving and alumni relations.

“Our campaign is full of passion for this student body, staff, faculty and administration,” Bundensen said. “I truly am here because I care so much about Wright State and want to give back to this community as a thank you for the growth I have been able to see in myself.”

SGA Candidates: Ivan Mallett /provided by Mallett
SGA Candidates: Ivan Mallett /provided by Mallett

Ivan Mallett

A current member of student government, Ivan Mallett, 23, is an international studies major. Mallett brings years of governing experience to the table. He has served as chief of staff for SGA and as director of legislative affairs for the Ohio Student Government Association, where he represented up to 500,000 students across the state. He was involved in an initiative to make college textbooks tax exempt in Ohio.

Mallett’s running mate is Adrian Williams, a neuroscience major and current student body vice president.

Mallett said his main goal as student body president would be to continue projects started by SGA this year, including Retain the 9, the Campus Engagement Project, and working with student leaders to improve the campus climate at Wright State.

“It’s important for the next student representative to be available to listen to all students and to have the institutional knowledge necessary to make sure the students’ vision is seen through to fruition,” Mallett said. “We want to maintain an open and active line of communication to be able to efficiently and effectively hear students concerns, then work with the proper university officials to ensure that these issues are dealt with appropriately.”

Mallett said he would work to address mental health, an issue he considers to be the biggest issue at Wright State, by working with students from the School of Professional Psychology to decrease wait times for counseling and wellness.

Outside of governance, Mallett is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was deployed from 2015 to 2016.

“Service is something that I am very passionate about and I am dedicated to making sure I continue my service as Student Body President.”

SGA Candidates: Sarah Marsh/provided by Marsh
SGA Candidates: Sarah Marsh/provided by Marsh

Sarah Marsh

Sarah Marsh, 20, is a junior in Political Science with a focus in international studies and a minor in women and gender Studies.

Marsh has worked with Hannah’s Treasure Chest, a Centerville nonprofit that serves families at or below the poverty line. There, she compiled a binder for the Better Business Bureau Eclipse Integrity Award, which the organization won. Marsh has supported other local nonprofits including YWCA, East End Community Services, and Homefull. She has also participated in nationwide movements that have come to Dayton, including the Women’s March, March for Our Lives, and the Families Belong Together movement.

Her running mate, Crystal LaFrance, studies psychology and works with the Office of Disability Services.

“I am hoping to take my passion and put it back into the university that inspired me to stand up for myself and others,” Marsh said.

Marsh is an outspoken critic of university administration. She is a member of Students for Faculty, a student-led organization created in response to the faculty strike this semester.

Unlike the other two candidates running, Marsh has never served on SGA before. However, she remains confident in her ability to represent the student body.

“I never thought about joining SGA before this year, but the strike opened my eyes to some of the problems on campus that aren’t being addressed, Marsh said. “Getting involved in the Students for Faculty group helped me understand that I have a voice and that voice can be powerful if I try. I think many students also felt, or still feel, like their voice can’t do much, but I want to change that.”

If elected, Marsh said she would address multiple issues, including fixing buildings on campus, providing departments with working equipment, making the university more environmentally friendly, promoting inclusivity, and helping the university recover from the strike.

Marsh is also involved in Rainbow Alliance and describes herself as an advocate for women’s rights.

“I love learning more about my community and I hope that students will come talk to me so we can make our community an even better one,” Marsh said.

For more information on candidates, including vice presidents and senators, please visit SGA’s webpage.

Lucas Gonzalez

Former News Editor

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