Students running for Undergraduate Student Government executive board positions spoke on their campaigns and platforms during an executive board candidate panel Tuesday through Zoom, moderated by Aria St. James, current vice president of academic affairs.

Nine St. Thomas students are running for five executive board positions: five juniors, two sophomores and two first-years. Two of those students are running unopposed in their position.

Elections begin Monday, May 4 and last through Tuesday, May 5. A list of the candidates and a brief description of their campaign and platforms are below.

STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT

Derrick Diedrich

Diedrich, a current junior, hopes to make USG more relational to campus.

“As president, I’d really like to invest in the council and kind of get them energized and enable them to go out and meet with their constituents so that we can kind of hear the voices and hear what’s happening on campus,” Diedrich said.

Diedrich wants to create a strong, communicable council as president.

“How I see student government is you have the e-board that’s there to serve the council, and then you have all the council members that have the capability of interacting on the ground level with all students,” Diedrich said.

Diedrich currently serves as the spirituality committee chair.

Viridiana Arevalo-Martinez

Arevalo-Martinez, a current junior, hopes to reinforce equity and accountability.

“I’m a flat and horizontal leader, which means that no one is above or below anyone,” Arevalo-Martinez said. “There are different duties based on our roles, but that doesn’t mean that change only happens with the executive board, and also change doesn’t just happen in USG.”

Arevalo-Martinez hopes to best serve her peers through support.

“The president has many duties and many tables that they have a seat at, and I want to engage our students with that,” Arevalo-Martinez said. “If a general council member or student wants accessibility, I will provide that by connecting our students with the resources that they need.”

Arevalo-Martinez currently serves as vice president of equity and inclusion.

Michael Sullivan

Sullivan, a current junior, is running under the platform “your voice, my mission,” a play on the USG mission of “Your Voice, Our Mission.”

“I think right now is so crucial and so important that we can continue to improve on our communication and transparency with decisions we’ve made,” Sullivan said, “so continually bringing the student voice into those discussions and those conversations, I want to make sure we’re represented, and our values and ideas are heard.”

Sullivan hopes to be accessible and “there to help” as president.

“I would listen to understand, not just listen to respond,” Sullivan said. “We all are going through different things, and we all have different needs.”

Sullivan currently serves as vice president of public relations.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Adam Revoir

Revoir, a current sophomore, wants to increase communication and awareness campus-wide.

“The core of my platform is sort of centered around increasing the awareness of the senate, bridging the communication gap between students and faculty, and then serving as a voice for all,” Revoir said.

Revoir hopes to be perceived as “approachable and a good listener” to his constituents in the role.

“I think approachable in a sense that my constituents are comfortable and willing to come and talk to me,” Revoir said.

Revoir currently serves as legislative affairs senator.

Kailey Corder

Corder, a current sophomore, has been on USG since her first year when she served as the first-year class senator.

“I’ve just enjoyed my time in USG for the past two years so much, and it’s been amazing to just be around such innovative and intelligent and amazing leaders and changemakers,” Corder said.

She sees the position as “a great way to continue (her) USG career” and to see change on campus, noting that her passion is her “number one selling point.”

“There’s a lot of potential for change this upcoming fall, so I’m really excited to hopefully bring in some new ideas,” Corder said. “I just love helping people and I love serving and building communities.”

Corder currently serves as sophomore class president.

VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Tiaryn Daniels

Daniels, a current junior, wants to make the university’s mission, “All for the Common Good,” a “common standard” for the university.

“I’m passionate about a ton of things, but I’m really passionate on pushing forward some work that I’ve started in the past and really focusing on how our classrooms feel for students,” Daniels said.

Daniels’ involvement throughout campus has helped her to connect with staff, students and faculty, which she hopes will help her in this role.

“I feel like I’m best able to serve my peers in this role,” Daniels said. “Academic affairs in this upcoming year especially needs someone who is transparent and is able to make connections with their peers.”

Daniels is running unopposed for this position.

VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS

Josh Schauer

Schauer, a current junior, is hoping to help promote USG’s mission of “Your Voice, Our Mission.”

“Creating relationships between the administration and with students … especially with the adaptation to potentially online (classes), I think that would be a very important step,” Schauer said.

Schauer said the core of any social group is having plans and putting things into motion.

“That is kind of what the administrative affairs position is all about,” Schauer said. “I think that is where I see myself as being the most critical to helping others.”

Schauer currently serves as student organizations and clubs committee chair.

Schauer is running unopposed for this position.

VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Evan Braaten

Braaten, a current first-year, is running with hopes of focusing on school spirit. He has had an extensive background in the social media industry.

“I’ve been able to work in the social media industry for the last three years,” Braaten said. “I think that I’d be able to fit this position perfectly.”

Braaten says he’s been able to turn “a normal social media” into something “aesthetically pleasing,” which draws more viewers in.

“That’s very important, especially if we go online (next fall), a lot of our information is going to be sent out through social media outlets and on a website,” Braaten said.

Haison Nguyen

Nguyen, a current first-year, hopes to increase student engagement, provide “fun and impactful community service opportunities” and build better connections between administration and the student body.

“I have past experience in public relations and being able to run some campaigns and being able to help the community with nonprofits and for profit companies,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen wants to bring his experience to USG to help the whole student body.

“I just want to be able to accommodate all of those ideas and be able to use what I’ve learned from this year to be able to help out the whole student body,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen currently serves as first-year class president.

Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.