SGA Secretary and Chief-of-Staff Elected President and VP

By Kristen Griffith, The Whetstone

Destiny Hollis, Jennifer Jankowski and Adrianne Bautista were elected the new Student Government Association President, Vice President and Treasurer for the 2016-2017 semester.

Running unopposed, Kelsey Fitzpatrick and Monisolo Olowere joined the Board as Secretary and Chief-of-Staff.

Hollis, Jankowski and Bautista ran as a team. Their campaigns and posters told students to vote for all three of them.

“My girls and I worked restlessly during this entire election,” Hollis said.

The other posters plastered around campus pictured the opposing campaign team of Betty Lee, Nick McDaniels, Kenny Ciccoli and Kelsey Fitzpatrick.

The SGA presidential race between Lee and Hollis was the closest race among the candidates.

Hollis gained 269 votes while Lee pulled in 234.

Junior Rashidatu Koroma said she voted for Hollis and Jankowski, but not for Bautista.

“I’m slightly biased, I’m friends with Destiny and I thought Jenn was a good candidate,” she said.

Ciccoli’s campaigning got her vote.

“Kenny approached us in the College Center and gave a good speech,” Koroma said.

Freshman Justin Vera said Hollis’ treats won his vote.

“Some of the candidates came by offering snacks, such as cookies, for a vote for them,” he said.

Vera said they gave him the cookie after they made sure he voted “correctly.”

Hollis said her cookies and brownies symbolized “thank yous.”

“Thank you for taking the time out to listen to our plans next semester, thank you for your vote and thank you for your support,” she said.

Freshman Kari Matthews said she was also offered a cookie.

“They came to my room and said, ‘If you vote for me now, I’ll give you a cookie,’” she said. “I pulled up the election thing, and she told me who she wanted me to vote for.”

Matthews said she voted for Lee’s team during the reelection.

Hollis said Lee was a wonderful candidate to run against, but an SGA president needs experience.

“It is very hard to discuss ideas and changes for SGA when one does not know how to go about such change,” she said. “My experience and knowledge will make me a good president.”

Hollis, the current SGA Secretary, said she learned so much after serving on the Executive Board for two years.

“I learned the differences and similarities between running one or two organizations versus running 30 plus organizations,” she said. “There are many differences but few similarities.”

Current SGA President, Savannah Durham, said she publicly endorsed Hollis, Jankowski and Bautista.

“I have had the pleasure to serve with Destiny and Jennifer, and I know their passion and dedication,” she said. “With experience comes knowledge, and I believe these two have a lot of it when it comes to effectively running Wesley’s Student Government Association.”

Lee said she was disappointed she and her team lost. She said she wants to see the new SGA reach out more to the students.

“Right now, when students complain about something, their first reaction is, ‘Well, why haven’t you been to SGA,’” she said. “However, I brought a friend to a meeting recently, and the first thing he said was, ‘Am I allowed to be here?’”

Lee said students will not come to SGA meetings if they don’t feel welcome.

Senior Zaire Scott said he voted for Lee and her team because of their energy and the way they presented themselves.

“They’re not afraid to go up to anybody and get their point across,” he said. “They’re not just going up to their friends and getting them to vote.”

Scott said he saw that from the other team, but Lee’s team showed more effort.

Jankowski beat McDaniels for the Vice President position by 75 votes. She received the most votes out of her team – 289.

“My initial reaction was there was no way got swept,” McDaniels said reacting to his team losing. “I thought worst case scenario, Betty would at least win.”

Jankowski said she was more qualified to be vice president than McDaniels since she is the current Chief of Staff.

“I have learned that roles such as vice president or president are not things that you jump into without some sort of background,” she said.

Bautista won the race for SGA Treasurer against Ciccoli and Paige Goodskey. She chalked up 278 votes while Ciccoli gathered 194 and Goodskey 31.

Sophomore Sam Meck said he voted for Bautista, Hollis and McDaniels.

“I know Adrianne,” he said. “I know she would do a good job with finances.”

He said he knew McDaniels from their conversations in the athletic training room.

“I think that he would be good in office,” he said.

Ciccoli said he will no longer be involved with SGA, but he will continue helping the school on his own.

“Those [SGA] meetings leave me frustrated and with the understanding that not much is getting accomplished on the student’s behalf,” he said. “This is the reason most do not attend SGA.”

Lee said she thinks the elected candidates will do a good job.

“However, I think the SGA board has the possibility of being great,” she said. “I would love to see the new board aim for that title.”