Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Beyond the election, all that matters

Running for Student Association president was perhaps one of the best things I have ever done here at GW.

I have never had so many people stand by me and walk with me throughout such a long and tumultuous journey. I could never thank all my friends and supporters enough for helping me and working with me. I had a clear vision of what the Student Association should be, and I am surrounded by people who share that vision.

More importantly, I am surrounded by people who genuinely care about me and believe in who I am. The fact that I did not win the election does not make the campaign unsuccessful. To the contrary, I came out a winner as a result of this entire experience. I am a better person because of all the amazing people whom I have been surrounded by for the past two months.

In the end, I lost the election. It’s frustrating because of how close it was – but the results stand as they are. My main opponent throughout the entire election, David Burt, has been a friend of mine for two years. He can most certainly count on my support of him in his term as president.

Having the title of SA president was never what I truly sought throughout all of this. All I ever wanted was to be in a capacity that could allow me to best utilize my abilities as a student leader. It is unfortunate that some other candidates in the race tried to bring this election to a political level. It was never about politics for me, just service.

Other candidates focused on bringing out the faults of others instead of their own strengths. Being the president of the SA wouldn’t be worth it if I had to compromise my friends, my integrity and my values. It wouldn’t be worth it if I had to call a qualified candidate an insider or spread a rumor in order to defame someone else in the race. The most difficult thing for me was to see how destructive and divisive other people were. I played by the rules, and I am proud of that.

The only condition that I had for a supporter of mine was that they were to stay positive. I believe that it’s useless to be the best if it brings out the worst in you. I am proud that I held my supporters and myself to that standard, and I can sleep well at night knowing that my campaign was genuine.

To be a real winner, you need to forget that you’re in a race. I focused on what I believed in and did it because I loved to do it. Running for president was tough, but it paid off with the love and support I received from everyone. I don’t think my campaign team – you all know who you are – will ever know how much they mean to me. I am so proud to have brought so many different people together. We make a great team, and I know our friendship will definitely last!

In the end, David Burt and I stood together as the top two candidates for SA president. Although he now bears the title, I still bear all those who believe in me and who stood by my side. To me, that is all that ever really mattered.

-The writer, SA vice president of Community Affairs, is a former candidate for SA president.

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