Editor’s note: This is the last installment of Undergraduate Student Government candidate profiles. Elections are tomorrow, so don’t forget to vote.

USG Executive Director

Derkin promotes unity

Joe Derkin is sick of the complaints he says he often hears about on-campus entertainment.

That’s why, as part of his platform as Undergraduate Student Government executive director candidate, his main objective is to bring organizations at Kent State together.

“I’m tired of hearing, ‘Man, there’s nothing to do on this campus,'” Derkin said. “That’s why I want to facilitate a monthly meeting between organization heads to work together to plan events.”

Derkin, the current senator for residence hall students, said his experience as College Republicans’ vice president showed him that when groups work together, the benefits can be rewarding.

“Last semester, College Democrats and Republicans got together to make care packages to send overseas,” Derkin said. “We got a lot accomplished. That is why I want to bring groups together. Because we can do a lot more that way.”

In addition to bringing organizations together, Derkin would also like to help struggling clubs and groups.

As a member of the rugby team, Derkin said he has learned how unsupportive Kent State can be to a group sometimes, even if it has potential.

UN1TE Forum gives USG candidates a final chance: What: UN1TE, a group made up of All Campus Programming Board, College Democrats, Black United Students, Amnesty International and PRIDE! members, will be asking USG Candidates questions about their campaigns. Where: Student Center Room 306 When: 8 p.m. tonight Why: “The questions are going to further reinforce on the information that students gave (at Tuesday’s forum),” said Andrew Clark, College Democrats vice president and UN1TE member. “There are going to be a lot of questions asked that we hope will be a surprise to them, so the answers aren’t fluffed up.” -Melissa Dilley

“The rugby team gets $500 a season, but it takes a lot to fund uniforms and travel,” Derkin said. “It ends up costing everyone thousands of dollars to play a sport that is ranked 22 in the country.”

Derkin said he is sure there are other groups at the university that feel the same way, and he would like to find a way to make it easier on the members’ funds.

If he doesn’t win the executive director spot in tomorrow’s elections, Derkin said he will continue to meet as many students as possible and help out the university in any way he can.

“I just really want to help,” Derkin said. “Even if I lose, I’ll still be trying to help.”

-Melissa Dilley

Sherwood is going green

Kent State could be taking part in Recycle Mania if Scott Sherwood is elected executive director of Undergraduate Student Government tomorrow.

Sherwood said his main goal is to bring the student body together through helping the environment.

Recycle Mania is a competition to see which colleges can recycle the most over the course of the school year. Other campuses, including Ohio University, have been using this method to get students involved and environmentally conscious, Sherwood said.

Sherwood, who is the current director of student advancement, said an issue he’ll focus on right away is the USG Web site.

“The Web site needs revamped,” Sherwood said. “It’d be nice if (advertisements) could say, ‘Go to our Web site for more information.'”

USG’s Web site currently has links, but all of the pages are blank.

Sherwood said he believes all of his goals are realistic because he has experience in leadership positions.

As a director for USG, he worked with the Center for Student Involvement to put on student organization round tables and has helped students through the judicial advocate program.

Sherwood is also an executive board member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and the vice president of judicial affairs for the Inter-Fraternity council.

Sherwood said he has “bigger picture goals” that he thinks will help improve USG’s identity and the university.

“Even if I don’t win I will still be involved and try to run for an at-large position,” he said. “I want to give as much to this university as I can.”

-Melissa Dilley

Nursing

Henen hopes to focus on organizing scholarship money for nursing students

&bull Beshoy Henen

&bull Senator for the College of Nursing

&bull Junior nursing major

Henen said he would like to focus on finding and organizing scholarships for students. He feels it’s hard for nursing students to afford an education because of all the supplies needed.

“I feel like that’s a big thing, like people don’t take advantage of it all,” Henen said.

Henen would also like to have a better structure for the College of Nursing. There are not enough teachers for the students, and Kent State is having to turn some people away, Henen said.

“I know it’s understaffed right now, and it’s hard for students that are well-qualified and stuff to get in,” Henen said. “Kent’s sort of turning them away because they have to. They have no option.”

– Allison Smith

Honors College

Kubena wants to bolster communication between Honors College and rest of KSU

&bull David Andrew Kubena

&bull Senator of Honors College

&bull Junior accounting major

Kubena said he wants to increase the awareness of Honors College students as to what is going on around campus and in the Kent community.

As part of his platform, he said he would also like to “increase the communication on what the Honors College has to offer to its students.” Kubena said he believes this communication between the Honors College and other colleges will help get students more involved on campus.

– Rebecca Micco

Communication and Information

Stone steps up as a write-in candidate, presents platform to administrators

When freshman photojournalism major Kevin Stone read the position for senator for the College of Communication and Information was left vacant, he said he knew he should take the initiative.

Stone decided he would actively campaign as a write-in for the March 10 elections.

Although Stone will not have his name on the ballot, he has been meeting with CCI administrators to present his platform.

Stone said he realizes the journalism program is in competition to be the best in the country against colleges such as Ohio University and Syracuse University.

“To make the college more competitive, I am going to try to get conversation between majors and other colleges,” Stone said. “A lot of the fields overlap, and if advisers can get to know what a student wants to do, they can better adapt their schedule.”

The Germany native has only been in America since he began school in the fall, but he said his foreign experiences can aid Undergraduate Student Government.

Stone said the set-up of European government is close and deals with a diverse population in a small area, which he said is a lot like the way USG should operate.

– Melissa Dilley

Architecture and Environmental Design

Farrell’s goal is to be the liaison between his college and the Kent State community

&bull R. James Farrell

&bull Senator of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design

&bull Junior architecture and design major

Farrell likes to think of himself as a leader by example. He is running for senator of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

Part of Farrell’s platform is that he wants to form a strong relationship with the interim dean of his college, James Dalton. He also pledges to attend faculty meetings when there are issues involving his college.

“I will be the liaison between my college – the undergraduate student body, faculty, staff – and the community,” Farrell said.

– Rebecca Micco

Turk wants to put architecture students to work around campus to save money

&bull Michael Turk

&bull Senator of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design

&bull Junior architecture major

As president of the College of Architecture Student Union, Turk has experience with leadership. That is one reason he decided to run for senator of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

“I want students to be more involved on campus,” he said. “There are a lot of projects that happen that could require use of architecture-type services, and I want to spin it all off to the university as a way to save money and get student work out there.”

– Rebecca Micco

Technology

Trussalo wants to cut ‘two-plus-two’ program in College of Technology

&bull Nicholas Trussalo

&bull Senator of the College of Technology

&bull Sophomore computer animation and design major

Trussalo said he enjoys coming up with new, creative ideas. One of these new ideas is running for senator for the College of Technology. He said USG is “a great way to get involved with the student community.”

His platform is a student’s platform. He thinks students should come to him with their concerns. He also wants to get rid of the two-plus-two program, which allows students to earn an associate degree during their first two years of college and then have the option of completing a bachelor’s degree during the next two years. He wants to make it a four-year program.

– Rebecca Micco

Nwaokafor aims for Van Deusen Hall renovations and student involvement

&bull Somadina Nwaokafor

&bull Senator of the College of Technology

&bull Sophomore construction management major

Nwaokafor is currently a representative at large for the Kent Interhall Council. He said he believes he is an “approachable person.” He is running for senator for the College of Technology because he wants to get students more involved from his college, and renovate Van Deusen Hall. He said he wants to be the voice of the students.

“I want to see what everyone else wants,” he said. “I’m not the only person in the College of Technology. I want to get different view points.”

– Rebecca Micco