MSG Presidential voting now open for the 2020-2021 academic year

Lauren Abbott, Editor in chief

From Feb. 18 through Feb. 20 at noon, voting for the next Mercyhurst Student Government President is open to all Mercyhurst students.
To run for President, a student must currently serve in student government.
This year, two candidates are running for the position.
The first candidate is junior Spanish Education major, Lucy Belleau from Warren, PA.
Belleau has served on MSG since her sophomore year, starting as a senator for Hafenmaier college, and is currently Vice President of MSG.
“When I look at everything that I am in across campus, I love the organizations, but the things that I look back on is always the students. That is what makes me really like it here,” Belleau said.
Belleau is excited for the opportunity to run for President.
“Being in this kind of position gives me the opportunity to not only interact with students, but make sure that they are being heard. It’s a matter of making sure they have the best experience they can have while they’re at Mercyhurst.”
Her platform centers around the Mercy mission and the core values.
“I based my platform around the mission and the core values. I put my initiatives within the areas of the core values” Belleau said.
Belleau’s core values-focused platform includes sustainability, student services and university operations, students supporting students, communication and academics.
“For Globally Responsible, I have improving sustainability initiatives. Intellectually Creative, opening up more opportunities for students to meet with their deans.
With Compassionately Hospitable, Students Supporting Students is one of our campaigns that we already have, but I wanted to take that further and collaborate with athletics[…]. Also bringing together other, equally important student organizations to the forefront to make sure they’re just as recognized” Belleau said.
Belleau highlighted some reasons she is fit for the job.
“It’s a matter of being connected and dependable and still having a relationship with students. I want to stay connected with everybody and bring those connections forward so they aren’t getting lost in translation” Belleau said.
The next candidate is junior Business Competitive Intelligence and International Hospitality and Tourism contract major, Marina Boyle from Dublin, Ireland.
Marina served as a MAC/SAC programmer her sophomore year, and is currently a Class of 2021 senator.
“I want to be president because I feel that I can serve Mercyhurst Student Government and the student body in a variety of ways through my experience over the past three years with student government” Boyle said.
“I also feel I would be able to raise the concerns of students and create a very fun environment while increasing campus spirit and service to the community.”
Boyle’s platform highlights six different areas such as Laker spirit, student life, mission and sustainability, diversity and inclusion and MAC/SAC and event programming.
“Some of my big focuses are sustainability, really increasing our sustainability measures on campus in terms of waste and recycling and the giveaways and events that we do. And then also service, giving senators and MAC/SAC programmers more room to do service as part of their positions and also to organize service events that the entire student body can get involved in” Boyle said.
Boyle wants to share her love for Mercyhurst with other students.
“Mercyhurst is my favorite place on earth and I am very passionate about Mercyhurst Student Government and Mercyhurst University so I would bring a lot of passion, and integrity and conviction to this role and I’d be more than excited to represent them” Boyle said.
The Vice Presidential candidate this year is Sarah Klein, a junior Intelligence Studies and International Relations major from Rochester, NY.
All students should have received an email on Tuesday with a link to cast their vote. If students are unable to find the email, check your junk and clutter mail as it may have gone there. Voting closes at noon on Feb. 20 and results will be announced on Feb. 21.