On the Reitz Union North Lawn Wednesday afternoon, Impact Party announced its executive candidates for Student Government’s Spring 2016 elections.
To a crowd of about 200, Impact Party President Will Smith announced Susan Webster, 22, as the party's candidate for Student Body President. Joining her on the party's executive ticket are Brendon “BJ” Jonassaint, 21, for Student Body Vice President, and Kishan Patel, 20, for Student Body Treasurer.
Webster, a UF international studies senior, serves as UF Student Senate President and a senator for District A. She said she hopes to make changes to help serve students and help make UF a top-10 institution.
“I should be elected your Student Body president because I know that I will be able to fight for you," Webster said, "not only on the university level but in Tallahassee and in (Washington) D.C."
Jonassaint serves as a Cabinet Liaison under Student Body Vice President Kevin Doan. He has previously served as a preview staffer. The UF health science junior said he hopes to improve student life.
“I think I should be elected because of my passion for the university and my passion for helping students move forward, helping students out in general,” he said.
Patel, a UF industrial and systems engineering sophomore, serves as a sophomore senator and was the former Access Party Treasurer. He decided to run with Impact because he said Access Party was unable to compromise in Senate.
“I’m really moving toward tangible change for the students,” he said. “The Impact Party is all about tangible change.”
Elections will be Feb. 16 and 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Student Body Treasurer and 50 student senators, who will represent their academic year (freshman, sophomore or graduate student) or academic colleges, will be elected for a one-year term.
Students who want to run, or slate, with a party can sign up Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. or Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.
Contact Melissa Gomez at mgomez@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @MelissaGomez004.
Contact Caitlin Ostroff at costroff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @ceostroff
Executive Ticket
- Student Body President and Vice President
- Student Body Treasurer
Senate Seats (50)
- Accounting (1)
- Agricultural (3)
- Architecture (1)
- Building Construction (1)
- Business Administration (3)
- Dentistry (1)
- Education (1)
- Engineering (4)
- Fine Arts (1)
- Freshman (3)
- Graduate (10)
- Health & Human Performance (1)
- Journalism (2)
- Law (1)
- Liberal Arts & Sciences (6)
- Medicine (1)
- Nursing (1)
- Pharmacy (1)
- PHHP (1)
- Sophomore (6)
- Vet-Med (1)
Slating (Reitz Union Grand Ballroom)
- Jan. 24: Noon to 6 p.m.
- Jan. 25: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m
- Jan. 26: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Elections (Various poll locations on campus)
- Feb. 16 and 17: 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
From left, Impact Party student body treasurer candidate Kishan Patel, 20, Impact Party student body president candidate Susan Webster, 22, and Impact Party student body vice-president candidate Brendon Jonassaint, 21, announce their candidacy to a crowd of students on the Reitz Union North Lawn on Jan. 20, 2016.
