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  • Collegian staff

ASWU elections spotlight - vote now!

Updated: Sep 13, 2020

Class of 2024










Courtesy of Mira Karthik.

My name is Mira Karthik, and I am running to be your freshman class senator this year at

WU. Above all, I am running because I want to represent YOU, and I strongly believe that I have

the skills needed to do just that! If I am elected, I will prioritize inclusivity & representation, not

just for our remote students but for all communities on campus. As a class, we have already

faced many unusual circumstances around our first year of college, and I want to be the person

who takes on these challenges to make our educational environment the best that it can be. With

experience in leadership through high school in the form of campaigns, clubs & as a

representative, I understand that it takes hard work to successfully represent your classmates and

I am only running because this is work I am not only willing to take on, but excited for. I

promise to engage, reach out, and unite our class through not just listening to your concerns, but

actively doing something to fix it. I am excited to watch our campus flourish, together!

















Courtesy of AJ Ammons.

My name is AJ Ammons. I have had extensive leadership experience throughout my life. My experience with leadership started almost exactly a decade ago, when I joined what is now officially called Scouts BSA. I started as a Scout with an Arrow of Light Award, and climbed to the rank before Eagle, Life Scout, by 2015. I had earned my Eagle Scout rank in 2019, after completing 4 years of teaching leadership skills at National Youth Leadership Training, 41 merit badges, and an Eagle Scout Project. While in Scouting, I had also used my leadership skills in school. I first got involved in student government when I was voted ASB President of my middle school. Each year after that, I served as a Class Officer every year until high school graduation. During my years in ASB Senate and Class Office, I was also a Section Leader for our high school marching band, pep band, tour band, and wind ensemble for 3 years. I was also involved in our Model United Nations representing Solomon Islands, Japan, and the United States. Thank you for reading my profile. Please vote for AJ as Administrator.

















Courtesy of Zeke Druker.

Greetings, bearcats. I seek your vote in this unique time not on the basis of false promises, but

rather on the basis of two of my capabilities: speaking loudly, and listening carefully. In the wake

of the present uprisings and the demand for a more progressive and just campus, country, and

world, I have the capacity to listen carefully to the concerns of my new comrades (and hopeful

constituents) here at Willamette. As well as listening, I’ll speak loudly and ask forcefully of those

in power: where are the answers to the hard questions? Why are students of color

underrepresented in the student body compared to national averages (and what’s being done

about it)? While it’s great to hear a land acknowledgement at convocation, what is the university

doing to restore native sovereignty? How can the university take an active role in preventing

sexual violence toward queer people, who are four times as likely as their straight cisgendered

counterparts to experience sexual violence at college? These and more are the questions that

need to be asked to hold the university accountable to its mission and its statements. If elected,

I’ll ask. Thank you.

















Courtesy of Inéz Nieves.

This introductory time to life at Willamette for the Class of 2024 is one that will define us not as

individual scholars, but a generation of preserving citizens. Each and every one of us here

today- whether living in Baxter or attending class from another state- has the potential to bring

this community out of the darkness of the looming challenge that the global pandemic and

systemic government inequality presents. I, as administrator to the ASWU Senate, want to

dedicate my skills and time to ensuring this potential comes to fruition. I deeply understand, as

both a respiratory compromised individual and civil rights activist from Jacksonville, how anxious

my fellow peers must be at this time. My goal for the Senate is to ensure that the source of this

anxiety is significantly alleviated by listening actively to both our in-person and online community

while energetically instituting policies that have a visible impact on student’s quality of life. As

administrator, I would draw on my four years of varsity Congressional debate and experience as

a lauded teen attorney to provide Willamette students with clear, effective legislation and

cultivate a culture of transparency and accountability to the people. Please join me in ensuring

the goals and dreams of our class are realized, and cast your vote for Inéz Nieves.


Class of 2022











Courtesy of Col Lockard.

Hello! Wow, this year has been a rough one, hasn't it? I hope you're doing alright despite the circumstances and taking the time and space you need for yourself. About me: I use he/him pronouns. I'm white, able-bodied, transgender, and queer. I've served in various leadership capacities (as facilitator, vice president, co-president, and president) of LGBTQ+ clubs in my high school, city, and now at Willamette for six years in total. These roles have taught me that effective leadership requires proactive communication, attentive listening, and definitive action. As an ASWU senator, I'll ensure your concerns are heard. I'll work to uplift voices calling for racial equity and accessibility on campus and be a part of the work to see this happen. While COVID-19 has disrupted normal campus operations, it has also provided an opportunity for us to re-envision Willamette, much as it has offered an opportunity for us to reconsider the effectiveness of the U.S.'s current government system or the trajectory of our own lives. Now is a time of change, and I hope I can help you capitalize on this change and bring about the advancements at WU you'd like to see.


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