The Eastern Michigan University 2023-24 Student Government elections will take place online starting Wednesday, March 29 at 8 a.m. and ending Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m.
There are 12 candidates for Student Senate with 16 open seats. Ballots can be accessed via my.emich.edu.
Election Commissioner Terrill Oatman said that he hopes to also have in-person voting available at the Student Center and the Rec/IM on both days.
Results will be sent out once the votes have been counted.
Here are the students in the running:
Jack Booth
Jack Booth is a current senator who is running for re-election. He is a freshman at EMU studying management and Spanish.
"I want my fellow students to know how invested and committed I am to their well-being and needs as university students," Booth said. "I am excited to spend another year looking out for the interests of the student body and being a bridge between us and the administrative body.”
Booth said that he looks forward to connecting with as many different students as possible.
"I know that my personal experience is very narrow compared to that of the collective body, and I want to represent everyone fairly," he said. "Thank you for allowing me to be one of your senators last year, and I look forward to this opportunity for next year."
Omar Nahlawi
Omar Nahlawi is a Syrian-American freshman majoring in business administration.
"I am running for senate in order to provide further aid to the Student Government body as well as the foundation of the university, the student-led organizations and to further diversify our community," Nahlawi said. "The student organizations are what fuel our community, and I would like to help expand the resources available for these student-led clubs as they are the coal to our fire."
Having lived in Ypsilanti his whole life, Nahlawi said he would be honored to use his open-mindedness and understanding to give back to the community by tackling challenges and spiking innovation.
Akram Aqib
Akram Aqib is a senior majoring in information assurance and cyber-defense. He is also a Henry Ford College alumn and is currently working for a fintech company as an application support analyst.
"I come from a Bangladeshi immigrant family," Aqib said. "Growing up, I was blessed enough to be socially active and understand the sentiment of different groups of people. As a senator candidate, I believe that Student Senate is a voice for all EMU students. I strive to bring unique and powerful contributions to the collaborative table, be willing to listen to and implement critical feedback, and lead with confidence. I am running for everyone who feels like their voice doesn't matter."
Aqib understands that the overall meaning and relevance of running for the student senate is to help communicate between students, administration, faculty, and most importantly the EMU community, he said.
Hamzah Dajani
Dajani is a sophomore majoring in finance and accounting.
"I have served on Student Government for two years now and hope to continue the impressive movements that we’ve begun," Dajani said. "The rise of the ISA, Arab Society and international/minority students has been at the forefront of many of my plans, and that is not changing anytime soon.”
Jonah Huskey-Wright
Huskey-Wright is majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy. As a current freshman, he sees a need for a great connection with the underclassmen on campus.
"The future of EMU starts by creating outreach to those new to campus," he said. "I want to be a voice for mental health change on campus, college is a time to build connections and create an environment where everyone feels included."
Sonya Liggins
Liggins is a junior majoring in nursing who wants to help student organizations find solutions to issues.
"I am running for senator because I want to continue my work helping student organizations," Liggins said. "For example, I want to help student organizations figure out the problems or concerns they have regarding their attendance, funding, etc."
Sean McCormick
McCormick is running for re-election because he believes there is a lot of work to still be done to "make Eastern a more affordable, inclusive, and student-oriented university," he said.
"I believe it’s critical as students we work to hold administration accountable for the costs of being a student, and reach out to student organizations who feel Student Government can’t support their needs," McCormick said. "I’m running to get support from those who are dissatisfied with the cost of tuition, cost of parking, cost of housing in my 2023 platform! We can all make EMU a better university, and I hope students vote!"
Ahna Smith
Smith is a junior at EMU double majoring in marketing and supply chain management.
"I can bring a lot to the table for minorities and those who identify as female because I am a girl of color. I am a fantastic ambassador for EMU and want to make the community a better place for employees and students," Smith said. "In the past, I have served in various leadership positions throughout SGA, including digital design, assistance, and many more. This year is my chance to improve and be more helpful."
Syed Wasiuddin
"Running for student senate is an opportunity for me to make a positive impact on campus and represent the voices of my fellow students," Wasiuddin said.
The candidate, who is in the running for president but also running for re-election as a senator, hopes to increase halal and other dietary restriction options on campus.
"It is important for all students to have access to food options that meet their dietary needs, and I believe that the campus can do better in this regard," he said. "By working with the dining services and administration, I hope to make progress towards increasing the availability of these options.”
Another initiative that Wasiuddin is passionate about is promoting transparency between administration and students.
"As a student, it can sometimes feel like decisions are being made behind closed doors without consideration for our input. By creating more channels of communication and encouraging open dialogue, I hope to create a more collaborative relationship between the administration and the student body," he said.
Lastly, he believes that bringing more diverse events to campus is important for fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment, he said.
"Diversity comes in many forms, including cultural, racial, and intellectual diversity. By working with student organizations and the administration, I hope to bring more events and speakers to campus that celebrate and promote diversity," Wasiuddin said. "Overall, I believe that by being elected to Student Senate, I can make a meaningful impact on campus and work towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all students."
Arikka Franklin, Cole DuVall, and Estelle Hackos are also in the running, but were unable to provide information on their candidacy at this time.
