As many know, USAO’s Student Government Association (SGA) elections are coming up for this 2023-2024 school year. The polls open April 4th and close April 6th, and voting is highly encouraged. With the posters everywhere and social media going wild, what do these candidates really think?

Presidential Candidates:

Chandler Leamon-Webb is a senior political science and history double major who said he has a strong love for encouraging people to speak their minds. “I am running because I want to show students that they have a say in how their school is run,” said Leamon-Webb.

When asked how he felt about the other candidates running, he had this to say, “I think the other candidates are great leaders on campus. They are people who constantly put themselves before others, and I am honored to share the same ticket with them,” said Leamon-Webb.

Although he isn’t sure who will win, he said he wants students to get what they deserve in terms of a voice around campus that cares. His plan after winning is ambitious but detailed. Leamon-Webb said he plans to revamp the role of student government at USAO, which includes beautifying the campus, creating scholarships opportunities, and promoting USAO’s culture of liberal arts.

Halli Humphrey is a junior economics and sociology double major who has been apart of SGA for three years now and wants to continue to give back to the university as president. “This university and this organization have done so much for me and helped me grow into the leader and person I am today, and I want the chance to do that for others as well,” said Humphrey.

When asked about her fellow candidates, she had this to say, “They are all great leaders on campus, and I am happy to call all of them friends. I think all candidates are very strong leaders and will do great things for SGA.” Her future plan includes increasing transparency within the organization and allowing for more connections between students and administration. Humphrey ended by saying she wants all students to feel like they have a voice because they do.

Vice Presidential Candidates:

Ryan Moses is a sophomore history major with a focus on inclusivity, taking action, and actively conversating with students around campus. “USAO is a bubble of inclusivity, and I promise to help keep it that way,” said Moses. When asked about the other candidates, Moses had nothing but nice things to say, “The other candidate for Vice-President, Savannah Alldredge, is one of the kindest people I have met on campus.”

Moses made sure to highlight their history in SGA, referencing their past works on the senate. “I have a proven record of advocacy, most of my resolutions were on topics of ensuring LGBTQ+ inclusivity, or accessibility of people on campus. Everyone deserves to have their voices heard,” said Moses. Their future plan includes creating more committees and wards to better include different groups of students around campus.

Savannah Alldredge is a junior speech-language pathology major with a passion for making change, both on the USAO campus and overall. “Student government is the most accessible way to make necessary change for my fellow students,” said Alldredge.

When asked about the other candidates, she had this to say, “They are all highly involved on campus and work hard to make a difference. I will be happy no matter the outcome.” Her leadership experience includes not only SGA, but multiple other organizations such as Oklahoma Student Government Association (OSGA), Students for a Progressive Society (SPS), and DroverThon. If she wins, she said she plans on working on transparency between student body and SGA. “I want to increase awareness of our organization and also make it more accessible to the student body. Many students feel that it is ‘cliquey,’ and I would love to make it welcome for all,” said Alldredge.

Treasurer Candidate:

Ashlin Tryczak is a senior psychology major with a passion to create connections between students. “We have a community here that we hardly take advantage of. As a group, we have the power and ability to change things on campus if we want,” said Tryczak. Although she’s running uncontested, she said she still wanted to get her name out there by commissioning posters from Lime Hacksisomback, a student at USAO. If she is re-elected, she said she plans to build a community through clubs and art on campus. “By meeting with the leaders of clubs and organizations, I believe we can revive club participation. I’m looking into campus beautification as well; we have many talented artists so let’s do more murals,” said Tryczak.

Currently, there is no candidate running for secretary for the 2023-2024 school year.

Bea Bourland is a first-year Biology and Environmental Science major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.