The campaign for next year’s Undergraduate Student Government elected officials kicked off on Feb. 8 and will come to a close with voting on March 5. For the next two weeks, the Daily Kent Stater will be profiling each of the candidates running for one of the 25 positions to help students make an informed decision on election day.

Check back, new candidate profiles added daily.

Senator for College of Communication and Information candidates

Candidate: Lauren Buchanan

Buchanan said if elected, her goals are to ensure there is a positive learning environment and that all of the available resources are being used. She wants freshman to be as involved as possible by letting them know about the opportunities in CCI.

“If freshmen have a great experience their freshman year, they are more likely to graduate,” Buchanan said after noting the low retention rates for freshman. When it comes to upperclassmen, Buchanan said she wants to keep them motivated and gain as much experience as possible for their careers.

Buchanan said she explored all of the CCI majors and talked to organizations that are associated with the college, which has helped her qualification for the position.

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Candidate: Tyler Douglas

Douglas wants to be connected and act as a liaison between the college and the students. He said he wants to do whatever he can to help students and wants them to have a great experience like he did.

He would like to promote the college more and have people know Kent State is also a communications school. Douglas wants to get more students involved and provide more activities within the college.

“Just to get people to know each other for the camaraderie,” Douglas said. “I don’t want people just to be a student and go to class.”

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Candidate: Natalie Moses

Moses said she wants to continue at the level of the current senator and uphold the progress. She also said she wants to create a scholarship for those in the College of Communication and Information who work with student media.

“All of us in our college, we spend so much time thinking about it and producing it,” Moses said. “It’s our life.”

As a goal, Moses said she wants to maintain group cohesiveness and do a little more in CCI. She said she has three years of experience with student media and was the treasurer for Kent Communication Society.

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Senator for College of Nursing candidates

Candidate: Caitlin Keck

Keck is from Youngstown, Ohio, and went to Jackson-Milton High School. When she is not studying, she is a sister of Delta Gamma, and she lives in the house. She enjoys hanging out with her sisters and being involved with her sorority.

Why are you running for this position? “It was kind of a last minute decision,” Keck said. “I saw this position was open, and I have known a couple other people who have done it before. It just seemed like a really great opportunity. I live and breathe nursing 24/7, so why not represent something that I am truly passionate about?”

What do you want achieve? “Once I learn about this position a little bit more and get more familiar with it, I hope that I can bring something back to the College of Nursing,” Keck said. “Either having the USG do something for us, or me as a nursing student do something for them, whether it’s being a vote, having my opinion out there. We’re hard working students and people should realize that.”

Why are you most qualified? “I live and breathe nursing,” Keck said. “Being in my clinicals and being in a hospital setting is very time consuming and very on-edge, and I just think that I am able to handle things and adapt very well, and I just think that I will bring a lot of good things to this position.”

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Senator for College of Public Health candidates

Candidate: Kelsey Hamilton

Hamilton is from Avon Lake Ohio and went to Avon Lake High School. In her free time, she enjoys participating in theatre, doing yoga and watching and following baseball.

Why did you decide to run? “I really was struck by the idea of meeting with all the other colleges in the university. I thought that was a really interesting way to bring the university together a little more,” Hamilton said. “I also feel like I could really provide a good leadership role for the College of Public Health. It’s a newer college on the campus and I feel like it could really benefit from more of a push to get to know the other colleges.”`

What do you want to achieve in your position? “Definitely my main focus is bringing more of a light to the College of Public Health,” Hamilton said. “I think we do a really good job with promoting ourselves, but it never hurts to kind of bring what we are doing more to the forefront and kind of actually inform people of what public health is. There are sometimes misconceptions as to what it is.”

Why do you believe you are most qualified for your position? “I am really motivated and I bring a lot of enthusiasm to my work,” Hamilton said. “I am also very organized so I feel like bringing all those together would really provide a good leadership role for the College of Public Health.”

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Candidate: Michael Eiermann

Eiermann is from Chesterland, Ohio and went to West Geauga High School where he played football. He enjoys volunteering for charity organizations and his church. This is his second year as the co-chair in the Public Health Student Alliance (PHSA).

Why did you decide to run? “I like being involved and being able to talk to a lot of people,” Eiermann said. “If they have any suggestions, they can come to me and talk about it.”

What do you want to achieve in your position? “I want to make more volunteer opportunities and ways to help the college out,” Eiermann said.

Why are you most qualified for your position? “I get good grades. I’m already involved with PHSA so that helps out a lot because I went to one of their first meetings, and there was a lot of good charity things happening,” Eiermann said. “We already do a lot of charity things like Relay for Life and Zumba for MedWish and stuff like that and giving back to a lot of places, but I think there is a lot more opportunities in the senator position to give back.”

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Senator for College of Technology candidates

Candidate: Gage Philp

Bio: Philp is a sophomore ROTC member. Philp said his main goal is to represent the students of the College of Technology the best way that he can. He wants to hold a meeting to make sure all the students in the college are aware of the funding they are receiving from Kent State for their new building in fall 2014.

What kind of skills can you bring to the position? “I have a lot of positions and jobs in ROTC with the Air Force,” Philp said. “I’m currently the director of operations, so I’m in charge of a lot of people and getting the information out to them that they need.” He is also the education officer and is in charge of educating cadets, making sure they know their required information.

Why do you think you’d make a good senator for your college? Philp said he is very sociable and easy to talk to. “If I’m given a task or a job to do I’m usually on top of that 110 percent, all of the time, to make sure that it gets done,” he said.

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College of Education, Health and Human Services candidates

 

Candidate: Lucas Baird

Bio: Baird is a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He spent time working with children with special needs, which has inspired him to make it his career. In his future, he hopes to work with special needs children in inner city schools.

What he wants to achieve: “One of my main goals is to allow students to know more about how I can help them,” Baird said. “A lot of times as I’m campaigning or explaining what I’m trying to do I get the question, ‘What is USG?’ I want students to know what I’m going to help them with. I want them to know they can come to me.”

Why he’s qualified: “I’ve held a lot of positions in my past,” Baird said. “I know what it’s like to be that student [who knows] what USG can do to help me.”

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Candidate: Chelsea Clements

Bio: In addition to running for the Senator of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, Clements is a member of Delta Zeta sorority. She participated in the Disney college internship program and is now a campus representative for the program. Clements plans to move south toward warmer weather after graduation and to teach either kindergarten, first or second grade. During her summers, she hopes to work for Disney at their amusement park in Florida. Clements is determined to make a difference in her future students’ lives.

What she wants to achieve: “I have a lot of positions and jobs in ROTC with the Air Force,” Philp said. “I’m currently the director of operations, so I’m in charge of a lot of people and getting the information out to them that they need.” He is also the education officer and is in charge of educating cadets, making sure they know their required information.

Why she’s qualified: “I have a lot of experience,” Clements said. “I know a lot of the teachers in the profession. I’ve had a lot of experience such as professional, networking [and] communication skills things like that, that I think make me a really good candidate for this position”

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Senator for College of Architecture and Environmental Design candidates

Candidate: Andrew Rasner

Bio: Andrew Rasner attended Trinity High School in Garfield Heights, Ohio. While there, he was involved in art club, cross country and track. Rasner’s hobbies include reading, keeping up with current events, politics and the design world, as well as listening to This American Life or 99% Invisible while walking or running. Rasner has a love for print journalism and has The New Republic and The Economist delivered to his doorstep. Rasner also constantly checks design publications out of the architecture library. He has a media addiction and a coffee addiction as well. Rasner’s favorite coffee places include Tree City Coffee and Bent Tree Coffee in Kent. Rasner loves to cook and is a weekday Pescetarian. He loves experimenting in the kitchen, and his favorite food is Lebanese. Rasner enjoys watching House of Cards on Netflix, and his favorite book at the moment is Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck.

What do you want to achieve in your position? “We have three great design programs but when you look at them there is not a whole lot of interaction between them. I definitely would like to improve the amount of communication between them.”

Why do you think you’d make a good senator for your college? “I had a really great time representing the CAED the year before last, and I really look forward to building on that experience to accomplish even more this time around. The CAED is at a transformational moment right now, and I think that the students need to be actively involved and have a voice in the future of their college.”

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Senator for College of Business Administration candidates

Candidate: Kelsey Meadows

Bio: Meadows is a 20-year-old KSU student from Delmont, PA. She works for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Meadows is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Aside from school, she enjoys participating in philanthropy events with her sorority, spending time with her family and enjoying the outdoors. Canoeing and bike riding are her favorite outdoor activities.

What do you want to achieve in your position? “With the renovations that are rapidly happening throughout the building, I want to get students’ input to try and make our college as welcoming as possible,” Meadows said. “Also, I would like to make the mock interviews and resume workshops that the college hosts already bigger. The business field is a lot about who you know; therefore, I would like to advertise these workshops more and try to get more students to take advantage of what the college has to offer.”

Why do you think you’d make a good senator for your college? “I am very passionate about Kent State University and also the College of Business Administration,” Meadows said. “I want students to feel the same love and passion for the university as I do. I am also a hard worker. When I have a goal, I achieve it. Whether it is implementing ideas of student’s or my own, I will do what it takes until this goal is reached.”

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Senator for College of Arts and Sciences candidates

Candidate: Tyler Bayer

Bio: Bayer is from Millersburg, Ohio and went to West Holmes High School. He is a brother of Kappa Sigma and enjoys participating in the fraternity’s activities. He also enjoys going to sporting events and reading about politics.

What do you want to achieve in your position? “I’d really like to see more student involvement. I kind of felt that there was really kind of a disconnect between USG and the students so I want to lessen that gap.”

Why do you think you’d make a good senator for your college? “I’ve held multiple leadership positions within the fraternity, and I am also on the board of the Political Science Club. I’m also the vice president of the Cowbell Crew so I have a lot of leadership experience. I would like to spread that out to the campus as a whole.”

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Senator for College of the Arts candidates

Candidate: Tia Loop

Bio: Loop said her involvement in her sorority, Delta Zeta, influenced her decision to run for the position. She said her priority, if elected, would involve working with alumni. Loop plans to utilize her communications skills and group-work experience to bring the students together.

What do you want to achieve in your position? If elected, Loop will have leadership responsibilities in the School of Art, the theatre program and the fashion school. Loop said the senator position would offer her an opportunity to expand from Greek life, and become more involved with the Kent campus.

Why are you qualified? “My main goal is to strengthen the relationship between students, colleagues and faculty,” Loop said. “I’m really involved in my sorority. I’m on a panel in my council, so I have experienced representing people and coming up with creative solutions to different problems.”

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Director of Communication candidates

Candidate: Tyler Pina

Pina is currently the senator of the College of Communication and Information. If elected, he plans to promote Undergraduate Student Government to the student body through marketing and by creating a brand, using his electronic media background. He is also involved in Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, an officer in KSU Independent Films, a voice for “Three Guys and a Girl” on Black Squirrel Radio and member of Honors College Policy Council.

What do you want achieve? Pina is currently the senator of the College of Communication and Information. If elected, he plans to promote Undergraduate Student Government to the student body through marketing and by creating a brand, using his electronic media background. He is also involved in Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, an officer in KSU Independent Films, a voice for “Three Guys and a Girl” on Black Squirrel Radio and member of Honors College Policy Council.

Why are you most qualified for your position? “I have been in USG for a year, and being the senator of the College of Communication and Information, have a great grasp on everything already,” Pina said. “Working and being on USG, I have learned what works and what doesn’t. I have set a plan of action before I started to run for this position.”

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Director of Academic Affairs candidates

Candidate: Michelle Crisler

Bio: Crisler has been with the Undergraduate Student Government for one year now and is currently the senator for commuter and off-campus students. Crisler worked as a student success leader for the First Year Experience courses and is a member of the Honor Society fraternity Order of Omega. Crisler is also a part of the Delta Zeta sorority. Crisler said, “[Delta Zeta] has taught me most about organization, leading and creating obtainable goals.” Crisler spends much of her time working as a cheerleading coach and attending sporting events here on campus.

What do you want to achieve in your position?“I would like to continue with Study-A-Thon. I think it is a great way to help people calm down a bit during finals week by having prizes, snacks and a stress free environment. I also plan on working with the other senators of the colleges to plan activities and make sure that their needs, as a college, are being met. Our biggest problem is advertising and making sure students are aware of what is available here at Kent State, and I want to push all the events the different senators put on. I basically want the students to know that I am here for them. I act as the liaison for the students between the deans and the other senators, so I am truly interested in hearing their concerns.”

Why are you the most qualified for your position? “Being a part of Undergraduate Student Government, I already have the knowledge and understanding of situations within USG and how they work. Therefore, I will know exactly what actions need to be taken to get your issues and opinions expressed. Also, working with the First Year experience courses for three semesters has really shown me exactly what students struggle with and exactly what needs they have. I hope with this experience I can better their education here at Kent State. I also think being an education major will help with this position because I truly am interested in raising the overall GPA for the men and women here on campus.”

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Director of Student Involvement candidates

Candidate: Natalie Mazzella

Bio: Mazzella has been a member of the Delta Zeta sorority since her freshman year and holds leadership responsibilities on the executive board. Mazella is also part of the Campus Kitchen Program that coordinates nutrition outreach programs for the Portage County Senior Center and gives cooking classes to seniors once each month.

Why are you running for this position? “I really care about Kent State. I think it is important for everyone to be involved, and the way that people are going to get the best experience out of college is by being involved as much as possible.”

What do you want to achieve? “My goals are to strengthen the administrative and student relations. I want to work with the various university committees and the task force to ensure the best interest of the students are being addressed.”

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Director of Programming candidates

Candidate: Marvin Logan

Bio: Also referred to as “Mr. Kent State,” Logan is a programming board member of USG. He has worked with a variety of demographics at Kent State such as Black United Students, the Spanish and Latino Student Association and the Women’s Liberation Collective. He wants to institute an ethnic or cultural festival to honor these groups.

Why are you running for this position? “I want to use my two years of experience with programming and build on what we’ve done. I want to continue to bring diversified acts to Kent State with an element of knowledge and openness to the position.”

Why are you the most qualified for your position? “I have two and a half years of volunteering experience and understand aspects of production. I also have experience as a student leader, and I can be the representation of different voices.”

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Candidate: Matthew Cola

Bio: Cola is a member of Kappa Sigma and holds the philanthropy chair. He has three years of experience as a resident assistant and plans programming for Olson Hall. He has a passion for music and hopes to go into student administration after graduation. He has joined with three other candidates to create the campaign website makingusgyours.com.

Why are you running for this position? Cola’s inspiration comes from his late father who died from cancer last year. “My dad told me to give 110 percent into everything I do. I’m doing this is memory of him. My entire campaign down to my slogan is about giving students a say. I want to be able to give them what they want.”

Why are you the most qualified for your position? “I’m incredibly organized and approachable. I really care about making sure students have a positive college experience.”

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Director of Student Advancement Candidates

Candidate: Brian Morris

Bio: Morris is a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, the Political Science Club and Amnesty International. In his free time, he loves to hang out with friends, eat and hang around downtown. After graduation, he would like to use his architecture degree to get a job with the government working to restore historic buildings.

What do you hope to achieve in your position?

“From student organizations and Greek life, to scholarships and financial aid, I will work with our administration to make sure that every student has access to the best resources our university has to offer. Every student deserves an advocate. As Director of Student Advancement, I will work with our administration to actively and effectively communicate the judicial processes here at Kent State, ensuring every student has a fair chance at an education. I will work with our faculty and administration to further educate our students regarding their rights both on and off campus, keeping our university a safe and welcoming place for all individuals. Finally, I will work with our university to ensure the best possible advancement for our student body. Kent State sits at a crossroad. Our university is expanding, growing in size each year while quickly expanding into the downtown area. As Director of Student Advancement, I will work with our administration to guarantee we’re taking the best possible approach in expanding our legacy as Kent State University.”

Why do you think that you are the most qualified for this position?

“As a student leader at Kent State University, I understand that the elected officials of undergraduate student government have a responsibility to our student body. I have had numerous leadership opportunities both on and off campus and strive to become the best leader I can. I have worked on a number of projects in my fraternity, serving as an acting executive board member, working as the Public Relations and Alumni Chair to reach out to the public and alumni and am currently serving as the course leader for Buckskin Council’s National Youth Leadership Training to be held this summer. I have spent the last 10 years focusing on servant leadership and understand that the members of undergraduate student government should be working to support our student body.”

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Candidate: Lauren Romick

Bio: Romick loves being busy and being involved. She has been a member of the Business Professionals Round Table for two and a half years and is currently a chair. She is also the secretary of the Accounting Association and has been a Student Success Leader for two years. Romick also sat on the Student Quality Advisory Committee for a year. When she’s not involved with her many campus organizations, she loves hiking and nature. She also loves traveling and spent time in Paris and London over the summer. Romick also enjoys cooking and eating. Mexican food is her favorite to eat, but she can’t make it herself yet.

What do you want to achieve in your position?

“The main goal of that position is to be a judicial advocate for students, so I’m familiar with the committee that they have to sit on already. I was involved with that for a year so to continue sitting on that committee and then also just to let students be aware of their rights. I know that if I were to get in trouble I don’t know what my rights are at all, so just to let students know what their rights are and to serve as a voice for them as they sit at their hearings.”

Why do you think you are the most qualified for this position?

“I’ve been involved with USG for two years. I was the Senator of Off-Campus and Commuter Students for a year – an appointed position – and then last year I was elected the Senator of the College of Business, so I know how USG works and I know how big of a responsibility it is to take on a role as being a director. It’s much more than just being a senator, so I know the responsibilities that go along with that. I’m really involved on campus, not just in the College of Business but through campus overall. I’ve dealt with a lot of different kinds of students, some students who might need to know what their rights are and then some students who just don’t know what their rights are and would never be in that situation. I think that’s why I’m the most qualified because I’m really involved on campus, and I’ve dealt with a lot of different kinds of students who would be able to use these services.”

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Director of Community Affairs Candidates

Candidate: Hannah Ward

Bio: A member of the Delta Zeta sorority, Ward said that she is “very passionate” about the new developments downtown and would like to see the university work with the city to make the local Kent appeal even stronger.

Why she’s running:

Citing the new University Esplanade as a great leaping off point to physically strengthen the ties between downtown and main campus, Ward said that she is looking to give students more of a reason to go downtown.

Why she’s qualified:

“I love Kent. The university, I love the city of Kent,” Ward said. “Every time I’m downtown it makes me happy just seeing all the new development and everything like that. I’m just really passionate about it. I’m a student like everyone else. I’m approachable. I just want to be a voice for students who maybe don’t know how to get it out there.”

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Candidate: Kathryn Clarkin

Bio: While Clarkin has a background in French, her current endeavors have earned her an internship with congressman Tim Ryan’s office. Utilizing the skills she has learned under Ryan, Clarkin said that she plans to take what she has learned and apply it to developing a stronger bond between the city of Kent and the university if elected.

Why she’s running:

“There’s so much going on with downtown development, and I really want the students at Kent to have a strong voice in that and being able to be an active decision maker in that process,” Clarkin said. “I think we should have more with student discounts downtown,”

Why she’s qualified:

“Not only would it be good for us because a lot of students are struggling to pay for tuition and books, we would like to get some discounts downtown if we can. Also to give exposure to the new businesses.”

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Director of Governmental Affairs

Candidate: Joseph Bizjak

Bio:“I am actually in the process of trying to meet the governor,” Bizjak said. “No other student has ever done this before.”

Why he is running Bizjak said he is very passionate about student issues. He would like to see what he could do to responsibly lower student tuition. “To where undergraduate students can afford to come to Kent State University, but at the same time the university isn’t harm where they need to pass more fees on to undergraduate students.”

What he hopes to achieve: If elected, he wants to make regular trips to Columbus and Washington, D.C. He would like to consolidate all polling places on campus strictly to the library. Bizjak would also like to pursue giving undergraduate student trustees the right to vote.

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Candidate: Christopher Clevenger

Bio: Clevenger is president of the Political Science Club. He said the Director of Governmental Affairs is the direct link between Kent State students and the Ohio government. “As president of the Political Science Club, my job is to act in a non-partisan way to make sure that every student is equally presented with the opportunity to become politically aware and involved,” Clevenger said.

What he hopes to achieve: If elected, Clevenger wants to educate students on their political options. Clevenger said social media plays a huge role when connecting with student voters.

“It’s all about how you reach out to people and understanding the demographics,” Clevenger said. “Understanding what people want and need and then showing them how you can represent them properly.”

Why he’s running: Clevenger said the primary role of the Undergraduate Student Government is registering students to vote.

“It’s kind of sad to see when you have student organizations, be it the Political Science Club, College Democrats or the College Republicans, registering to vote more students than the actual governing body.”

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Candidate: Joseph Brown

Bio: Brown spends a lot of his time hanging out with his fraternity brothers at Sigma Chi. He volunteers on campus, participating in Super Saturdays with his fraternity. Brown enjoys traveling and has been to France and Spain. He helped campaign for Barack Obama and Ted Strickland. After graduation, he wants to use his degree to work in Washington D.C., preferably at the CIA or FBI.

What he’s running:

“One of the biggest things I want to do is two voter registration drives, one for the freshman class because I believe that if you get them when they come in, maybe that first week, then it’s not as big of a hassle during the whole semester if they want to register. Then I want to do one for the upperclassmen just because that’s one of the responsibilities of director of governmental affairs is to put on a voter registration drives.” “Secondly is to work with the elected representatives in the state of Ohio and in Washington on education policy and try to see what can be done on lowering the cost of education. Other than that, just having an open communication for the student body from Kent State in communicating problems down to the state house.”

Why he’s qualified:

“I’ve carried many leadership positions… I decided to join the fraternity Sigma

Chi so I’ve been involved with them, and I have a leadership background. I’ve worked with many different organizations, especially in Greek life. I’ve worked on fundraisers. I’ve been able to work with groups and get stuff done that many people haven’t been able to do. I believe the background is there to be able to fill this position.”

Editor’s note: This entry has been updated to reflect that Brown is running for Director of Governmental Affairs and is majoring in political science and criminal justice. An editing and reporting error indicated otherwise and has since been corrected.

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Director of Business and Finance

Candidate: Eric Pahls

Bio: Pahls is from Ravenna, OH and graduated from Southeast High School. He is currently the USG Senator for the College of Nursing, having previously been a nursing major before switching to finance and accounting at the beginning of this school year.

Why he is the most qualified for the position: “I believe that my work ethic, as well as my leadership experience, and commitment to the position are what is going to set me apart. In addition to my time on USG, I have also spent the last two years holding positions on the executive board of my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. In that time, I have gained valuable experience that will translate well into the Director of Business and Finance position. If elected, I know that I will hold true to my platform, and work to enrich the lives of all Kent State undergraduates.”

What he hopes to achieve: “My goals for the coming year are to ensure that as many student organizations as possible are aware of the funds that they have access to through allocations in order to enrich their experience in their respective organizations, and to bring a diverse array of speakers and programs to the Kent State campus. I also plan to make the allocations process as streamlined and accessible to the students as possible.”

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Candidate: Chris Conrad

Bio: Conrad is from Stow, OH and graduated from Stow-Monroe Falls High School before coming to Kent State. Previous to his run for Director of Business and Finance, Conrad was the USG Senator for the Honors College.

Why he is the most qualified for the position: “I am a studious and hard worker. I love Kent State and the students who come here. I earnestly want this position so that I can help other students gain access to funding and better their educational experience. I truly care and want to assist Kent students in the allocations process. Also, my fun, quirky, laid-back demeanor resonates with people. I’m very kind, approachable; these qualities, coupled with my educational experience, my leadership qualities, and my finance and economics background make me a good choice for Director of Business and Finance.”

What he hopes to achieve: “I am running on the platform that allocations, and student monetary assistance from the USG, should be more open and understandable. Currently very few people know that the USG can award them money to attend conferences or other academic programs. If elected to Director of Business and Finance, I pledge to help students understand the allocations process, and act as a responsible steward of USG allocations money.”

Check back, more candidate profiles coming this week.