With Eastern Michigan University student body elections right around the corner, voters should know who their candidates are.
University Communications will send an email before elections begin that directs students to a Google form that allows students to vote on the list of candidates from March 29-30th.
There are currently two candidates for both president and vice president.
Cedrick Charles and Louise Engohang
Cedrick Charles is a junior double majoring in political science and economics. Currently, he serves as the student body vice president, news editor for The Eastern Echo, vice president of the National Black Law Student Association pre-law chapter, and a member of the EMU forensics team.
"We believe that student government is truly for people it’s intended to serve: students. As such, we care about creating inclusive structures to promote true representation and engagement, especially for those who have been historically underrepresented or marginalized, and creating avenues for civic engagement," Charles said.
Louise Engohang is a sophomore double majoring in political science and philosophy. She is also a member of the EMU forensics team as well as the model U.N. team. Engohang currently serves as the senate parliamentarian for student government and the secretary of the National Black Law Student Association pre-law chapter.
"I joined student government because I wanted to give a voice to students on campus with opinions and concerns that deserve to be heard," Engohang said. "As your vice president for the 2023-2024 academic year, I would prioritize student success in all its aspects, placing a focus on affordability, accessibility, and engagement. In doing so, I hope to build a better and stronger EMU together!”
If elected as president and vice president, Charles and Engohang hope to bring about a plan called “Building Together," which includes the following:
Affordability: EMU's history and success has always been rooted in affordability for all of its students. Charles and Engohang firmly believe in maintaining an environment where all students can focus on education rather than a financial burden.
Sustainability: Building a sustainable environment is vital to improving the overall quality of students' lives and preserving natural resources for future generations. Their campaign wants to place an emphasis on not only establishing community-based decision-making but doing so in a sustainable way.
Engagement: According to their campaign, "Building Together" means establishing a community everyone is proud of, which can only be achieved through productive and meaningful engagement with students. To create a better future, they look to more innovative ways of connecting with students.
Syed Wasiuddin and Ameera Salman
Wasiuddin is a junior majoring in biochemistry and is currently a senator in Student Government, national communications coordinator for EMU's Resident Housing Association, chemistry supplemental instruction team leader, an EMU Honors College member, and a computational chemistry researcher on campus.
"As a STEM student running for student body president, I bring a unique perspective to the table that values data-driven decision-making and innovative solutions," Wasiuddin said. “I have lived, worked, and paid tuition on campus for these last three years which has given me firsthand knowledge and experience of the issues and challenges facing students on and off campus. It's time to use this and the input of our students to drive real change."
Ameera Salman is a sophomore at EMU majoring in media studies and journalism with a minor in queer studies.
She currently serves as a senator in Student Government, vice president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action, and secretary of the Leftist Student Coalition. Salman also works for the Women's Resource Center as a student assistant, and at the Eastern Echo as Cellar Roots editor-in-chief.
"I'm running to be vice president because I am excited by the opportunity to connect with fellow students and make this campus a place that suits the needs of everyone," Salman said. "Advocating for students is a crucial aspect of my college experience. I want to find the places where students are struggling, where they need support, and start there.”
Wasiuddin and Salman also have three focus areas for their campaign:
- Engagement will look like surveying students to identify needs and feedback, increasing student organization awareness and utilization of Student Government as a resource and improving campus event times for commuters and residents.
- Growth will prioritize adding the telephone numbers of Counseling and Psychological Services and the Department of Public Safety to EID cards and increasing funding for CAPS, Swoop's Food Pantry, and more campus resources.
- Inclusivity will promote the expansion of dining options for individuals with dietary restrictions and expand use of gender-inclusive language in university documentation.
