The Strand: Hi Katie. Why are you running for VPI?
Hi! I’m running to try to make a more inclusive VUSAC that is more welcoming, approachable, and accessible for students. It’s your student council; everyone deserves to feel welcome and have a team that is working for them. I think having a strong team that is working to help students comes [out of] a cohesive team that can work well together. I’m running to strengthen VUSAC and make sure we have the best team to serve the VCU.
What do you feel makes you a good fit for this position?
I care a lot about people and I just want to help people succeed in their projects. I think I’m a good motivator and I think I can use that [skill] to help different members of the team realize their goals. To help them in whatever way I can, just encourage them and let them know that I’m here to help with whatever they need. I was a Transition Mentor this year, which meant that I had the opportunity to welcome first–years. I found it a really wonderful experience to see their growth throughout the year and I would love to [create] that same experience for VUSAC members this year as well.
Tell us about your platform.
I’m really interested in having mandatory first aid training for VUSAC. It’s been great that some VUSAC members have been first aid–trained [in] the last couple of years, but that might not always be the case. If you’re ready to help students and to make sure students feel safe at our events, I think that’s the way to do it. That would also include overdose training, making sure we are prepared no matter what happens. Tied into that, I started an initiative this year that I would really love to continue. It’s a workshop to help students who are planning events with alcohol—to know how to safely plan events and empower their team so that everyone can feel safe.
What would you say your short-term and long-term goals are for the position?
I think short-term goals would be [focused on] operations within VUSAC. Having more check–ins to help keep members accountable for the promises that they made during election season, because I think it’s unfortunate those can sometimes fall by the wayside because people get busy and things like that. So just having more check–ins with people and [making sure they know] that I’m there to support them with whatever their initiatives are. In terms of long-term goals, it would definitely be finding a way to make the alcohol workshop more sustainable long–term and strong so that it can continue, because it is really valuable training.
Is there anything else you would like to include before we wrap up?
I hope you will take the time to read my platform. I put a lot of thought and care into it. I really think that, if elected, a lot of these initiatives are really valuable to the VCU, and I would really love to see them come to fruition.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
