Spring has sprung and so have the new SGSU elects. Read about the new student leaders for the 2018-19 school year!
Bri Khan
President
She/Her/Hers
Second year International Studies and Spanish major Bri Khan will be taking on the role of president. Khan represented her high school as a member of its student council. At Seattle U she’s involved with ArtSideOut and also plays on the lacrosse team.
“One of the biggest influences in my life is my Grandmother,” Khan said. “She is very stubborn and hardworking woman. We both have similar mentalities—we don’t like hearing that we can’t do something. And for a large portion of this election people were literally coming up to me and saying that I can’t or shouldn’t try to run for president because I am a female of color.”
Khan plans to facilitate and establish a stronger relationship between students and administrators as well as bring attention to mental health issues on campus.
“I always want to push myself. I never think what I’m doing is good enough,” Khan said. “So, the nervousness that I feel is going to be the driving factor for me to make sure this school is what students want it to be. I want to make the people who voted for me proud of me so that they know they made the right choice. I am so excited to talk to people, get to know people and really go in head first.”
Nick DeJohn
Senior Representative
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Nick DeJohn has enjoyed the past three years at Seattle University as a history major and felt motivated to run for senior representative after attending a budget meeting this year.
“I wanted to have an influence on how things are done on campus and also want to bring more people in to the room where it happens,” he said.
DeJohn’s main goal is to ensure that everyone on campus knows that SGSU is there for them.
“I am nervous that people will feel as though they can’t make substantial change on campus, and that SGSU isn’t there for the students,” he explained. However, DeJohn is determined to create a “lightening up of attitudes between students and administration that a genuine relationship can be formed between students, SGSU and administration. ”
Patrick Donaldson
At-Large Rep
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As a second year Political Science major, Patrick Donaldson is a member of Seattle U’s Orientation Team and Rotaract. Donaldson’s main goal is to work to make the campus and whole student body where everyone feels included, and where people participate on campus.
“I’m most excited to be more involved on campus and to be able to be a part of a group that constantly works to make campus a better place. I’m also excited to make new friends and meet new people through being a representative.”
Jess Juanich
Executive Vice President
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Jess Juanich, a second year political science and public affairs double major, will be returning to SGSU as Executive Vice President. Before, Juanich was involved with his high school’s student government for three years and served as the Commuter Representative for SGSU. He is involved with the United Filipino Club, Alpha Phi Omega and Seattle U Pre-Law Student Association.
“There are not a lot of people of color who are running for SGSU,” Juanich said.“Being a person of color and a first-generation student I feel like I have a different perspective to bring to the table, as well as my experience serving SGSU for the past two years.”
Juanich is excited to work with other electees and to tackle certain issues such as keeping the internal operations at SGSU working all together while focusing on underserved communities on campus.
Courtney Baker
Commuter Representative
She/Her/Hers
Courtney Baker is a third year criminal justice and psychology double major and recently joined the Criminal Justice club here at Seattle U.
Baker is influenced by her fellow commuter students, who share the same struggles with commuting.
“I hope to coordinate events that commuters can more easily attend because commuter students often juggle a variety of responsibilities unique to each individual” she said. “I would also like to coordinate with commuter students and address any issues or concerns they may voice about their commutes. I am also currently devising a potential movement on campus, but am waiting for approval.”
Chris Herndon
VP of Finance
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During his time as Vice President of Finance, Herndon plans to promote awareness of budget transparency forums with the CFO of the SSU, work with the CFO and other students before changes such as budget cuts and tuition increases occur, as well as work with Chartwells, the new food service company here on campus.
An influence to run for office for Herndon was attending a budget transparency meeting and noticing that there were only twenty students attending.
“I feel like there are more than twenty people want to know where their money is going, where these budget cuts are coming from and so on. Allowing students to give feedback on upcoming changes is more substantial than after they are implemented.”
Kelly Curtis
Sophomore Representative
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Political Science major Kelly Curtis is feeling very excited about her new role as Sophomore Representative. Curtis is a member of the Seattle U Women and Gender Studies Advisory Council as well as the Fashion Club.
Curtis’ influence comes from her passion for bringing awareness of mental health as well as representing communities such as the LGBTQ community here on campus.
Curtis’s main goal is to open up a conversation for people to openly discuss these issues.
She will be working closely with the Gender Justice Alliance to create safe spaces, as well as to learn specifically what people feel Seattle U is lacking to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.
