Presidential and vice presidential candidates for the Student Government Association (SGA) will be participating in a debate regarding student life and community engagement on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Gavle Room of the Center for Student Life.
The first group of running mates includes current SGA Vice President Richard Benson and current SGA Secretary Megan Funke. Benson, a junior Biology/Education major, will be on the presidential ballot, and his running mate Funke, a senior international business and ethics major, will be on the vice presidential ballot.
Both Benson and Funke have been involved with student government since they were first-years. In addition, Benson is a member of the Rho Nu Delta fraternity and the Christian outreach organization Young Life. Funke is a member of the Delta Chi Theta sorority and the Business Club as well as being the vice president of the Residence Hall Honorary Society and the secretary for the Student Alumni Council.
When asked what was going through their heads this close to the debate Funke said, “I am definitely excited for it because for first time students will get to hear what the representatives are really talking about. We haven’t had a debate where students get to hear everything about the candidates and their platforms in a long time.”
Running against Benson and Funke are current SGA Senators Darien Marion-Burton and Danica Gray. Senator Marion-Burton, a Business Administration/Advising and Psychology major, will be on the presidential ballot. His running mate Gray, a Biology and Spanish major, will be on the vice presidential ballot.
Both candidates are heavily entrenched in student activities as well. Marion-Burton is Head Manager of the football team, Social Chair for the Black Student Union, current Executive Director of the Miss Navy and Gold Pageant, Founder of the Cooking Club and Founder of the Augustana Student Athletic Professionals. Gray is the Augustana Rotoract Founder and Treasurer, as well as a member of the Royal Neighbors group, Biology Club, Relay for Life Entertainment Committee and Chi Omega Gamma sorority.
Marion-Burton and Gray have come up with a document, aptly named the Darion-Marion Trust, which Marion-Burton said “outlines our platforms and some of the problems we see on campus and a lot of our proposals to fix those problems.”
Before the debate commences there will be a meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. where those in attendance will be able to enjoy some free face cake (the candidates’ faces, of course) and socialize with the candidates before the actual debate begins.