Have you ever thought about running for a position on FAMUs campus? Well, you might want to first see if you can afford it.
There is a great deal of cost associated with running a successful campaign. Serenity Roscoe, the current Miss Senior Attendant, knows all too well the financial aspects of running.
“Paraphernalia for your campaign team, food for potential voters, wardrobe, and decorations were just some of the things I paid for,” said Roscoe.
Not only is paying for supplies costly, actually finding ways you will pay for them can be difficult. It can be even harder if you are a college student without a job, or someone sponsoring you.
“One thing I messed up on is not having sponsors. A lot of what I paid for came from my money or my parents’ money and I wasn’t working at the time,” said Roscoe.
Some students find other ways to pay for their campaign by using their refund check from financial aid to cover their expenses.
Amani, Sapp, a third-year theater student from Jacksonville, ran for Miss Freshman Attendant 2015-2016. She said, “I spent over $2,500 from my refund check, had parental support, and a GoFundMe account to pay for my expenses.”
Even if you do have sponsors or help, you can still run the risk of going over budget and spending more than you planned.
JaKela London, who currently serves as the Queen of Orange and Green, said, “I had members who are entrepreneurs sponsor me and planned ahead. However, certain things did come up. I had to pay for somethings out of my pocket and still find a way to keep money to eat. Which was hard.”
Even though you can’t completely escape the financial obligations of a campaign, some candidates regret spending so much money and would advise students running this spring to save as much of their money as possible.
“Save as much money as you can. Search around your entire house, and your friend’s house before you buy anything,” said Sapp.
Other candidates believe the reward of winning outweighed the costs associated.
“Stressing, not sleeping, barely eating, and having no money all paid off. When you see that you won you don’t even think about how much money you spent. To be a part of the legacy and to know that I am a part of something bigger than me was worth it,” said Roscoe.