Election season is here, Tigers, and it’s time to make sure you’re educated and ready to vote for next year’s leaders of the student body. Do you know the candidates running for student body president and vice president? Have you read any of their platforms? Do you know when and how you’ll be able to vote for members of senate? If you answered no to any of these questions, then look no further for a guide to who’s who in this election.
Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates
There are five candidates pairs currently running for student body president and vice president. All undergraduate Clemson students will receive an email with a link to vote in the primary elections on Feb. 26, 2020. The two candidate pairs who make it past the primaries will be announced via email on Feb. 28, 2020, and a debate will be held the following week. Final elections will also be held through an email link on Mar. 4, 2020, and the results will be announced on the afternoon of Mar. 6, 2020.
To take a look at the minds behind the campaigns, check out this interview with the campaign managers of the 2020 election season (Jacob “Shrek” Strickland filled the role of his own campaign manager for this interview).
Austin Simpson and Hallie Bowers || Be The Change
Austin Simpson, a junior financial management major, does not have normal days. According to him, every day in his life is different and exciting, which makes the day that he decided to run for Clemson University’s student body president just as unique as the day before.
Hallie Bowers, Simpson’s running mate and a junior construction science and management major, likes to stick to a routine. However, she still wants to make time for the things at Clemson that truly matter, which means she is willing to forsake her routine for the hustle and bustle of running for student body vice president. Considering how long the two have known each other, the decision to run together is far from surprising.
Continue reading about Simpson and Bowers and their platform here.
Dahvier Alston and Will Galloway || A Clemson for ALL
Dahvier Alston, a junior political science major, and Will Galloway, a sophomore political science major, come together from different backgrounds and aspirations to make a “Clemson for ALL.” Access, learning and lifestyle are at the center of their campaign.
You can easily find Alston and Galloway at Chick-Fil-A where many of their core campaign ideas are discussed.
“I personally would like a full service Chick-Fil-A that takes gift cards,” Alston commented.
Despite their mutual love for chicken, Alston prefers the sixth floor of Cooper Library over Galloway’s quiet first floor. In addition to library preferences, Alston and Galloway have two different Clemson experiences that come together to make them a unique candidate pair.
Continue reading about Alston and Galloway and their platform here.
Jonathan Gundana and Emma Canedo || All For Clemson
On a normal day, both Jonathan Gundana, a senior mechanical engineering major, and Emma Canedo, a junior nursing major, enjoy early mornings on Clemson’s campus.
“I usually like to plan out my day in the morning so I’ll…find a spot on campus where I can write down everything that I need to get done for the day,” Gundana said. “I … get done with [classes] around 2 p.m. After classes I always try to get lunch with a friend.”
Once Gundana’s day is nearing an end, he spends time getting his work done and hanging out with his friends, “striving to end [his] day being around the ones that [he loves] the most at Clemson.”
As for Canedo, she takes a different approach to the start of her day.
Continue reading about Gundana and Canedo and their platform here.
J.T. Stroupe and Kendall Parrish || Yours Ours Together
Amongst the five pairs running for Clemson University’s student body president and vice president, there is Jameson “J.T.” Stroupe, a junior marketing major, and Kendall Parrish, a junior management major.
Both accustomed to hectic days, Stroupe and Parrish’s lives rarely consist of days that can be considered ‘normal’. However, from one day to the next, they both work towards completing schoolwork, interacting with other students on campus and getting in a regular workout. Now, the two want to add one more responsibility to their plate and act as leaders for the entire student body.
Having known each other since freshman year, Stroupe and Parrish love being Clemson students, and they love the community and family values that the university has to offer. They’ve experienced plenty of support since announcing their run for office, and they are particularly partial to the relationships that being a Clemson student encourages.
Continue reading about Stroupe and Parrish and their platform here.
Shrek Strickland and Ronald Sanderson || This Is Our Swam
Jacob “Shrek” Strickland is a junior computer science major from Charleston, S.C., running for undergraduate student body president. Strickland’s running mate is Ronald Sanderson, a sophomore mechanical engineering major also from Charleston, S.C. Teaming up with the aim to become representatives for the entire student body, the pair stated that the way they first met is classified, though Sanderson admitted that he “can’t remember.”
Strickland and Sanderson both stated that their favorite Clemson experience is football game days, with Strickland enjoying being able to display his Shrek attire, based off of the 2001 movie “Shrek”.
The two are running under the campaign slogan, “This is our swamp.” Strickland and Sanderson enjoy their slogan because it is both a reference to the original film and “implies unity among Clemson students.”
Continue reading about Strickland and Sanderson and their platform here.
Senatorial Candidates
All candidates for CUSG senate will be voted on alongside the presidential and vice presidential candidates on Mar. 4, 2020. The results will also be announced on Mar. 6, 2020. Keep an eye out for The Tiger’s complete list of people running for senate!
