» Spring 2013 Executive Election Candidates

Candidate Statement: The Student Government President is entrusted with the responsibility to represent and advocate for the entire undergraduate population. The majority of the job description goes mostly unnoticed by the majority of students. Projects find you as President, and areas for advocacy show up in unlikely places. Over the past two years, I’ve had the honor of serving as a Senator, Speaker of Senate, and Vice President. I have watched presidents closely to learn the role and develop ways it can be bettered. I believe that my strongest assets are my experience, relationships, and track record. When I came in as an eager sophomore, I took on the project of advocating for and ensuring the installation of water bottle fillers on campus. I learned a lot, ran into dead ends, and made some great friends all over the University. As Vice President, I’ve had the opportunity to foster those relationships and advocate for student needs all around campus. This year, I’ve worked on projects ranging from improving the fitness center to advocating for changes in the study-abroad drinking policy, to advocating for increased safety in residence life common areas. Next year, if I were to be elected, I would focus on a few main things. First, I would like to advocate for the reevaluation of Chapman’s staff to student ratio. While I respect the efficiency with which the University is run, I think many of our support departments are stretched thin and pushed too hard trying to keep up with the size of the growing student population. Departments like student affairs, health and mental health services, and housing, could all use additional hands to help distribute the workload. Following that theme, I would like to advocate for student space. Our student population size, Greek chapter size, and the number of student organizations have all increased. That increase means we need more space for clubs to meet, chapters to meet, and space for things like fitness classes and skit practices. I would like to bring discussions of a student recreation center back on the table, and push for it to be a priority of the Administration. Finally, I’d like to work on small, manageable projects like a “Text Public Safety” system and a permanent retail food option at Dodge College. I think all these goals are manageable, and I would love the opportunity to make a positive change for the student body.

Candidate Biography: My name is Brenton Burke and I am a Junior, Communication Studies student from Anaheim Hills, CA. During my time at Chapman I have had the opportunity to serve Student Government Association as a Senator and as Vice President. My involvement in student government has been the defining aspect of my collegiate career thus far and I am eager to continue current projects and tackle new issues facing the campus community. In addition to my on campus involvement, I enjoy event production, photography and working on cars.

Candidate Statement: I believe that the world works as a crayon box. That in this world, each person is a distinct color to contribute and make the world what it is. The world in essence is an explosion of color. Chapman is one place where I've been able to leave a trail of my crayon color behind. I plan to continue that as President and bring a breath of fresh air to this campus. We need change. We need more places like the student union in the residence halls in order to make more room for community and make this living environment comfortable for our students. We need collaboration between the different clubs and Greek organizations to build a stronger community. We need more outlets for expression among students and bring bigger programs that can help students find their identity. At the end of the day I plan to bring change in the sappiest way possible. Chapman will become a crayon box of community. As President I plan to bring color to this campus. Get ready for a Crayola explosion.

Candidate Biography: My name is Lord Ryan Lizardo and i am vying to be your next Student Government Association President. I am a Junior, Integrated Education Studies Major with dreams of working in Student Affairs or teaching pedagogy to future teachers. I come from a very humble home of Ewa Beach, Hawaii and have had a very turbulent journey finding comfort in Chapman. Though because of the overwhelming support I got at Chapman, I have fallen in love with this University and now am striving to serve it in any way that I can. I have also been involved with many other organizations including being a Lead Resident Advisor for the Office of Housing and Residence Life, member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, Tunnel of Oppression Director, Next Step facilitator, and I am also the outgoing College of Educational Studies Senator. I have felt so honored to serve these organizations and bring change to them. On a side note, my outside dreams include becoming a wrestler and/or reality TV star! I hope to get to know you all reading this outside of this bio soon!

Candidate Statement: I am the best candidate for the position of president because I am involved in many facets of the Chapman community. I am involved in the Department of Student & Campus Life, the Student Philanthropy Initiative, and Greek life. Through these involvements, I have made valuable connections with professors, staff, and students within the Chapman community. I am at a point in my time at Chapman where I would like to give back to the community that has given me so much. I would like to have a positive impact on students by leaving a lasting impact through sustainability, incentive programs, and transparency. First, I would like to continue the sustainability efforts that have been made over the past two years. In high school, I was able to start a successful sustainability program with over 150 solar panels, a biodiesel program, a compost program with a vision to be zero-waste, and a community garden that the cafeteria cooks from. Chapman has a lot of untapped potential that I would like to accelerate, by giving students a reason to be involved in sustainability and other campus-wide initiatives. I would like to create a program to increase recycling and composting on campus by giving students an incentive to participate. This would be done through a point system for students, where points or Panther Bucks could be gathered for recycling on campus and increasing sustainability. Points could also be gained by going to speakers, attending sporting events, and more. These points could then be traded in at campus vendors for Chapman gear or food from a campus restaurant. I believe that a point system similar to this one would increase school spirit. Continuing along the lines of sustainable efforts, I would like to work on getting more bike racks on campus, as well as create an incentivized carpool/rideshare program for students to promote green initiatives and transportation. I would like to get more benches on campus for students to enjoy the sunny Orange County weather. Third, I would like to create greater transparency so students can see where their tuition dollars are going; I would like students to know what their money is being spent on. All in all, I want to focus on the Chapman experience for students, by creating sustainable, innovative solutions for better student facilities, campus modifications, and day-to-day campus life.

Candidate Biography: My greatest passion in life is food. I learned to cook by myself – learning through books and watching my parents cook in the kitchen. Growing up in Paris, I had an automatic appreciation of food, which lent itself to my passion for cooking. During my free time, I still love to cook and have worked in four different restaurants in the Bay Area and in Paris to hone my skills. I love to read—my favorite novel is Candide by Voltaire. I also love to watch TV and films, some of my favorite shows are Arrested Development, Scrubs, and two of my favorite movies are Inglorious Basterds and Finding Nemo. I am involved in many different aspects of campus life, devising and maintaining the Student Union budget as a part of the Department of Student and Campus Life, being an active member of the Greek community, working with University Advancement on promoting the Student Philanthropy Initiative, serving as a member of the SGA Election Committee, and being an active member of a few clubs. I am passionate about travel and learning about new things. I work diligently and with the utmost integrity. I am understanding and professional, and I look forward to having the opportunity to put my experience and expertise to work for you. Above all, I am highly resourceful, extremely organized and practical.

Candidate Statement My passion for student affairs, my commitment to students, and my drive for leadership make me the best candidate for this position. I am running for President because I believe in my own ability to represent student voice. I sincerely care about how students feel on our campus and I am committed to improving every student’s experience at Chapman. I think there is a stigma when it comes to discussing certain issues on our campus and I want to honestly and openly address them with both students and administrators. My three main goals for the year to improve academic support and resources, change the culture and effectiveness of SGA Senate, and increase support among different communities on campus. I would like to follow up on the new Academic Advising program, which incorporates more effective faculty advisors that will be put in place soon and make sure it is actually benefiting students in the way it was planned. I would also like to relieve the financial burden for some students by advocating for a fee waiver for arbitrary 4 credit classes in standard 3 credit programs that cause overload credit when taking 6 classes. I will also continue to advocate for the implementation for a Fall Break in the middle of October to reduce the stress and tensions in the weeks between midterms and Thanksgiving Break. In terms of SGA, I want to see senators take more initiative to be present figures on campus, especially when it comes to events that they have chosen to fund. I would also like to change how we measure senator productivity and success by setting clear goals and expectations for the year, and involving senators on more standing faculty committees to represent student voice. Lastly, I would like to facilitate relationships between different student organizations and communities on campus to bridge the various social divides, such as of Greek and non-Greek students. I would like to see more integration and collaboration between student organizations (the way UPB, IFC and Panhellenic have joined forces to put on more inclusive events) in order to create a more educated and inclusive community where all students feel like they belong.

Candidate Biography My name is Natalya and I am a junior IES and Political Science major with a Leadership minor. I’m originally from Russia, but currently my family lives in Pasadena, CA, where we have resided for 14 years. Throughout my time at Chapman, I have been involved in many different on-campus organizations that have broadened my perspective and expanded my knowledge about Chapman. I have been a member of the Women’s Track Team, a Student Ambassador, a tour guide, an orientation assistant, a member of several Honor Societies and the University Honors Program, a Greek like and Panhellenic Executive Council member, and, of course, a SGA Senator. My passion has always been closely connected with student involvement and student government; I knew I would be running for President of my university since I was 14 years old. Outside of school, I work at Nordstrom and at a marketing start-up, have volunteered for a student-run leadership non-profit for 7 years, and enjoy napping, painting, reading, watching New Girl and How I Met Your Mother, eating delicious food, and being an every-day college student. I live in a cozy apartment with my best friend and her cat in beautiful Orange, CA. I aspire to go into higher education and student affairs. I will be starting my Master’s in Leadership Development soon after I graduate and will be pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership in the future. I hope to one day be the Dean of Students at a university so I can be a catalyst for student education, growth, and success.

Candidate Statement: The basis to a strong body is a strong backbone, in the same light - A strong Student Body and Government requires a Strong Executive Council to function well. It is in my strong belief that the duty of Vice President requires an individual of esteemed caliber. The Vice President should be an honest and hard working person who is above all, fair and an advocate for students of all backgrounds. He or she should be an open book, and always be readily available physically, and in mind and spirit for any member of the student body. It is important to note then, that the Vice President should regard his or her constituency as individuals and persons of great value. I am passionate, honest, caring , experienced, and my foundation of self is unyielding and distinct. I know who I am and I know what I want. The Vice President's job is to not only be a liaison for SGA, but to also help lead it. I want to improve Senate and make it more transparent so students know and feel comfortable with our student government. I also want to help students get involved with clubs and organizations of their interest. I know how hard it can be to have a voice on campus and how daunting it may seem to become a part of something bigger than oneself but I feel my with my skills I can encourage and connect people. Finally, I want to create a place where students can voice their opinions, learn about diversity, and celebrate their individuality - a multicultural center, if you will. As your Vice President, I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and ideas on what we could improve on campus and my goals. All in all, I want the best for the students of Chapman University and if there is another candidate who can do a better job, then I encourage you to support him or her. But I hope I have found favor in you, and am extremely thankful for your consideration.

Candidate Biography: I am a First Generation College Student and a part of the Promising Futures Program. So you could imagine as a student who was very unsure of what college would be like, I was afraid and intimidated. But I found myself pleasantly surprised by the people who extended their hands to me to help me overcome obstacles and fears of stepping outside of my comfort zone. I became a brother of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity - here I strengthened my character, learned to be a gentleman, and started my journey of becoming a man of excellence. I served as the Director of Parent Alumni Relations and realized the importance of maintaining relationships with people, even after they had left Chapman. I sought to do more and to work with a community that was as unsure of college as I was when I first arrived, and became a Resident Advisor. Here I met students of every background, color, and culture. I quickly found the importance of encompassing and including everyone. I learned to value everyone and wanted to help others get involved so they could accomplish their dreams and reach their goals. So I ran for Senate and became one of the At Large Senators. At first I was unsure of what to do, but eventually I found my place and began to advocate for SGA, I pushed for the website that shows who the Senators are, what each Senator is involved with, and what each Senator has or is currently working on. I also begin a widespread campaign to help students get involved and threw a mini involvement fair that included many student organizations found in residence life and on campus. I love getting involved and am grateful to those who have helped me to get here.