Florida A&M’s campus is sprinkled with informative fliers, grandiose outfits, and creative T-shirts. Students can definitely expect to meet people this week they probably didn’t know before. With one step on campus, students will be drawn to chants and tables full of treats.
This can only mean one thing: It’s campaign week.
Forty-nine students are competing for positions on Florida A&M’s Student Government Association and Royal Court.
The candidates who are competing for SGA president and vice president are Marissa West and Michael Jefferson; Anthony Siders and Sean Siders; and Justin McCorvey and Ariana Williams.
The Siders’ platform includes managing the SGA website, re-enacting ‘Rattler Days,’ and supplying service alternatives for Christmas and spring break.
West and Jefferson’s plan to recognize students’ concern as a determining factor in-board decision-making, and partner with faculty to guarantee that faculty is meeting the student’s needs.
LaCandria “Candy” Churchill, political science student; Jasmine O.
Yates, health care management student; and Chelsea Easterling,
political science student, are all vying for Miss FAMU.
Yates said her desire to be Miss FAMU evolves from her genuine love
for the university. Her initiatives will be focusing on unifying
people and renewing the school spirit.
“I love FAMU because of its history, its pride, its rattler spirit,
and how the FAMU experience prepares you for anything in life. I want
to use my strong work ethic to make a difference in bringing joy to
the university and reclaiming our rich legacy for the whole world to
see,” said Yates.
Churchill ‘s main points are retention, scholarship, retention, and to
enact a special program with endowment.
Easterling initiatives include Dress for Success Fashion show
initiative to educate the student body on proper attire, Say NO to
rape initiative to focus on sexual abuse and a Spiritual Growth
initiative.
The men running for Mr. FAMU include, Larry Polynice, Eric J. Murray,
and Forrest Andrew Jenkins.
Christina Jean, a third-year accounting student, said she supports
Polynice because she believes in his retention program.
“Every year, the amount of students who come in as freshmen is always
bigger than the last class. Retention is a big deal at this school,”
Jean said. “It would help with the budget, activities on campus, and
programs that will help with the functionality of our the school
because the students are what makes up the university.”
Lisa Alexander, Alexyss Blue, Kyra Pierce and Tayler Fisher are vying
for Queen of Orange and Green.
Fisher said this is the best role for her because Queen of Orange and
Green can express themselves and not be judged.
“When I first came to FAMU, the first person I met was the Queen of
Orange and Green. I saw how bubbly she was and how energetic she was
and how much she really loved her school,” said Fisher. “So, I related
that to my personality because I am a very bubbly person and I love
telling people about my university.”
The candidates for King of Orange and Green are David Banks, Tawyne
Sheffield, Ryan Jack Singleton, Alphonse Brenet Etienne, Komari
Simmons and Joshua Patterson.
Simmons said he wants to be King of Orange and Green because he wants
to continue his leadership on campus.
“I want to continue nationwide recruiting with the help of FAMU
Connection, New Student Orientation, as well as Presidential
Ambassadors,” said Simmons. “I want to continue uplifting school
spirit by having more color days, more dorm appreciation days and to
mentor more at public schools and on campus.”
Students running for electoral commissioner include Jalisa Brown, a
biology and pre-medicine student; Maya Lewis, a public relations
student; and T.J. Legacy-Cole, a political science student.
Legacy-Cole said what differs him from other candidates is his experience.
“I’ve worked with the Leon county supervisor election office in
conjunction with the voter outreach for over a year and I got the
Patron Award from the Florida Community College Florida Government
Association. I know how it feels to lose an election and I know how it
feels to win an election, so I understand what the other candidates
are going through and I understand how they want a fair and unbiased
election,” said Cole.
For senior class president and vice president the only candidates who
are running are Sasha Matthews and Frank Johnson. Gabrielle Hitchens
and Clifton Abraham III are the only candidates running for junior
class president and vice president. Beraiah Baker and Orton Coleman
are pair running for sophomore class president and vice president.
There are nine candidates who are competing for the eight junior
senate seats are Tyler Burke, Jeremy Dixon, Alexis Gary, Gregory
George, Maurice Jackson, Jonathan Moses, Jonathan Owens, Krystal
Smith, and Johnathan White.
The women running for senior attendant are Alexia Jones, Ariel
Larmond, Avagay Lindsay, Briauna Rogers, Ashley Williams. The
sophomores vying for junior attendant are Alyssa Crawford, Hailey
Gascoigne, and Asia Johnson. Adrienne Robinson and Taylor Bishop are the two ladies competing for sophomore attendants.