Meet your USG candidates

Editor’s note: This week and next, the Daily Kent Stater will be profiling candidates for Undergraduate Student Government. Elections are Tuesday, Mar. 10.

Business and Finance

Keslar plans to make funds accessible, process understandable for students

Nikole Keslar, senior biological chemistry major, said she would like to make the process of receiving funds “more understandable and easily accessible for all student organizations.”

Keslar is running for re-election, as she is the current director of business and finance.

“I feel I could successfully run the allocations process for another year,” Keslar said.

She has also served as a member of the Allocations Committee.

“I feel that, using the wisdom and experience I have gained in the past two years, I could improve the undergraduate student programming,” Keslar said.

– Sara Scanes

Baker plans to re-allocate funds, make the process as ‘efficient as possible’

John Baker, senior sports administration major, said he “wouldn’t really change anything” if he were elected director of business and finance, but he would try to improve the allocation process.

“I would make sure the process was as efficient as possible,” Baker said. “I would like to make allocations a lot better and a lot smoother.”

Baker also said he would be willing to give more money to more student programs.

“I want undergraduates who pay tuition to have their money go toward things they want it to go toward,” he said.

As an older student, Baker said he has “more experience with student organizations.” He served at the Interfraternity Council as treasurer and is vice president of his fraternity, Sigma Nu.

Baker encourages students to visit his campaign Web site at www.johnbaker.me/jb/.

– Sara Scanes

Programming

Big name musicians, fun late-night events are priorities for Szabo

Michael Szabo, junior managerial marketing major, is running for director of programming for Undergraduate Student Government unopposed, but that isn’t going to stop him from “revamping” the position for next year.

“I want to start working on getting better national acts at Kent State,” Szabo said. Szabo also plans on changing some of the positions on the programming board to “better serve the student body.”

Szabo is the current director of programming for USG.

“I’ve done it for the past year,” Szabo said. “I know what I’m doing and I look forward to doing, it next year even more than this year.”

The director of programming position was created last year, and not many people have shown interest in the title.

Szabo said he hopes more people become interested in the position so he can find someone to take his place when he graduates next year.

– Sara Scanes

Community affairs

Patterson strives to improve relations between Kent State and community

Although his spot is uncontested, Adam Patterson is gearing up for the Undergraduate Student Government race. A junior nursing major, Patterson is the incumbent candidate for Director of Community Affairs.

“I want to continue doing what I did this past year,” Patterson said, “working with the city council on issues and committees that they need me to help them with and also continuing to sit on the economic development committee for the city of Kent.

“I will do what it takes to improve the relationship between the university and the city and represent the undergraduate student body on issues that concern them.”

A self-proclaimed “leader,” Patterson has taken on leadership positions in several student organizations including Kent Student Ambassadors and Mortar Board. He also serves as a tour guide.

He said he hopes another year in his position as director of community affairs will help bring new strides to the university and to the Kent community.

– Kristine Philips