Voting for first-year Student Senate candidates opens on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 a.m. and closes on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. Results will be announced at Pomerantz Stage in the Olmsted Center five minutes after voting closes. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1. Candidates met at a candidate forum on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. on Pomerantz Stage to discuss their platforms before the election.
Sean Groh
[email protected]
Instagram: @seangroh4studentsenate
Sean Groh (he/him) is majoring in law, politics and society and American politics with a minor in international relations. Groh was interviewed in person.
Why are you running for first-year senator?
“When I got to Drake, I was very surprised that the University didn’t have fentanyl kits called Narcan in the residence halls. A family friend of mine’s son passed away from fentanyl about a year ago, so ever since then I’ve been passionate about promoting the dangers of fentanyl. I will make sure that Narcan kits are supplied to all residence halls. I believe that all RAs should be trained and that all students should be taught how to use Narcan because at the end of the day, you don’t want someone lying dead on the floor.”
Do you have experience in student government?
“My eighth grade year I served as student council president. In high school, I served three terms as class president, and then my senior year, I served as student council president.”
What campus issues are important to you?
“I believe in transparency and effective communication. I feel like while the Student Senate does have a good Instagram account and they’re promoting this heavily, I think we need to do a better job of keeping students updated on what the Senate is doing. The [College of] Arts and Sciences senator Carissa Phan has been doing a great job updating us on what’s going on in the Arts and Sciences, so we need to keep that up. I want to make sure that people know what the Student Senate does and how we can provide for them [the students] as well. I’m also really big into student involvement and bridging the gap between the Student Senate and other student organizations. I just want to be the type of student senator that anyone could come and talk to me about any issues that they have.”
What would you bring to the Student Senate?
“I am a very outgoing person. I like to start conversations with anyone. A lot of people call me a social butterfly, and I’ve really taken that to heart. My high school had roughly 4,500 students, a similar size to Drake, so I know what that medium campus size is all about. I look forward to getting to know people and addressing their concerns. ”
Why should your classmates vote for you?
“I’m a very reliable person. I’m a headstrong person. I like to push through and want to see how we can improve Drake’s campus. I know that the senators have office hours for students who come in and talk, but I think sitting in Starbucks for an hour isn’t enough. I think doing town halls and working with the residence halls would work better. I’m a part of the Residence Hall Association, and I serve as president of Stalnaker Hall. I look forward to sitting there with my first-year classmates, learning what they want to see on Drake’s campus. I [want to] be the type of person that someone can talk and connect with on the Student Senate.”
Betzy Sandoval
[email protected]
Instagram: @betzyforstudentsenate
Betzy Sandoval (she/her) is a law, politics and society major. Sandoval was interviewed via email.
Why are you running for first-year senator?
“I impulsively decided to run. As an introvert, it might seem odd that I’m running. However, in high school, I held leadership roles in organizations and clubs, which helped me develop skills and a passion for being part of change around me. So, when I saw that you could petition to run, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Do you have experience in student government?
“I’ve been part of my [high] school’s student council and even served as president. That experience made me realize the responsibility and importance of having a student body [voice] when discussing with administrators. We were able to provide a student perspective when decisions were being made. I even got to be part of giving cookies to every student before finals. That experience was both fun and eye-opening, which is why I decided to run for Student Senate.”
What campus issues are important to you?
“To foster community, I promise to establish a free food pantry where students can grab quick snacks before classes. Taking care of our community allows us to grow together.
I commit to keeping the first-year students informed about my actions as a senator and what’s happening in the Student Senate.
As a first-year student, you have a voice in what happens here at Drake. That’s why I promise to advocate for more first-aid kits to be readily available on campus. I recently had a paper cut and started to bleed a little. It wasn’t serious, but it made me wonder where I could find a first aid kit.”
What would you bring to the Student Senate?
“As a commuter and an Iowan, I bring different perspectives. I’m a first-generation Guatemalan American, a commuter and someone who is currently writing this answer while at my second job. My different background offers up a perspective that isn’t really seen in most leadership positions.”
Why should your classmates vote for you?
“I think my classmates should vote for me because I am committed to initiating change. I’m always on the go, juggling various activities every day. I have two jobs, and I even started creating my own campaign poster during a work shift.”
Riley Troendle
[email protected]
Instagram: @rileyfordusenate
Riley Troendle (she/her) is majoring in accounting and business law on the pre-law track. Troendle was interviewed via email.
Why are you running for first-year senator?
“I decided to run for Student Senate because I see a lot of opportunity for growth, particularly at Drake University. I want to ensure that all first-year students feel as though they have a voice on our campus, as well as promoting all different types of diversity and inclusion.”
Do you have experience in student government?
“I would not say that I have experience with student government due to my coming from a very small school. However, I do have plenty of leadership experience in high school including FFA [Future Farmers of America] secretary and treasurer, National Honor Society president, head of student council, drum major and Allamakee Fair Royalty.”
What campus issues are important to you?
“Some campus issues that are important to me are ensuring that students feel comfortable at Drake University. Ensuring transparency with other students is one of my main priorities while running for Student Senate.”
What would you bring to the Student Senate?
“Coming from a small agricultural community, another aspect I would like to include in my campaign is to educate people on the importance of agriculture as well and would like to see a growth in ag-related activities on campus.”
Why should your classmates vote for you?
“I would love to have people vote for me because I will not bring forward empty promises or false hope. I will work to achieve everything I say I will do. People should vote for me because I will fight to make Drake University a better place for everyone.”
