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Candidates: Pres. Quinn Tenorio , VP Willie Konishi, BOT Sevy Swift
Candidates: Pres. Tristan Stary, VP Jasmine Samei
What opportunities do you see for improvement in Student Life here at Mines and what would be your priority action items if elected?
Quinn & Willie: Through our involvement on campus over the last year, we have found that safety has been a big concern within several groups on campus. Lighting in certain areas of campus can be improved and our large population out-of-state students don’t have the best record for driving in snow which can lead to accidents. In addition, we will continue the work done by seniors to implement Digger Drive, a program to help students get home safely when transportation is compromised. Student safety is our top priority, whether it be on or off campus. We will push to improve these safety concerns along with other issues students have expressed concerns over. We also see opportunity in the improvement and implementation of mental and physical health. Current PA classes are designed as an outlet of stress to improve health, yet many fall short, and many students express disapproval for them. Here lies the chance to consider the purpose and “whys” of these classes and make improvements. Also, having a lot of great experience with working with Sodexo, we feel as though we can greatly impact dining on campus. Whether that be meal plans, Mines Market, or variation of food options and hours, student satisfaction is at average lower than other competing universities. We will continue the progress made through USG’s food committee, and work to better address the deficit of communication between students and dining staff.
Tristan: The improvements for student life at Mines start with hearing what the campus wants to change. I intend to take what the campus wants as my main priority; however, some of the changes I would like to see happen include more food options on campus and more parking for commuters and general passes.
Jasmine: The opportunities for improvement on campus are endless. The main goals I plan to focus on include bringing more attention to the academic clubs, and making sure everyone on campus feels safe and welcomed. Campus unity is a main priority of mine, and I would like to see more clubs and organizations around campus.
What do you believe are your best qualities for the position for which you are running?
Willie: My willingness to engage in dialogue as well as having a listener’s ear allows me to better my role as Vice President. My connection to resources and determination to invoke change help me conquer challenges and move forward with progress.
Quinn: A couple of the biggest qualities for being a great leader and team player involve a great deal of communication and organization. My extracurricular activities have helped me in organizing life here at Mines, as I must manage my work between academics, Rotaract Club, Student Ambassador, and USG. In addition, I pride myself on communication. Over my two years here at Mines, my numerous group projects in EPICS and LAIS classes has helped me ensure that everyone I interact with is on the same page. One other quality I believe will help me is my flexibility as I can adapt to changing situations and be an anchor for those involved with me. I hope in becoming Student Body President, these qualities will be evident.
Jasmine: I am determined. In everything I do, I make sure to put all of my effort and time into it. In addition to being determined I am a problem solver. If there is something I do not know or if I am given a problem I do not have an answer to, I know I will find an answer. As Vice President, the campus needs someone who can analyze a situation and produce a viable outcome.
Tristan: A President needs to be able to communicate with the students and understand where they are coming from. I am a very sociable person who can relate to various people. I have not met one person who I cannot hold a conversation with. Relating to people and making connections are two of the best qualities I hold, and as President I will put them to use.
What experiences have you had that make you an ideal candidate?
Willie: I have spent this first academic year at Mines doing precisely what I want to do in the future – that is work for the betterment of the student body. I am a current senate member in USG and have worked in different committees all focused on improved student life. I am the current head of the Food Committee and work closely with Susan Fukushima, the General Manager of Sodexo, to improve Mines Dining. I also involved myself in the starting up of Mines’ new Digger Drive program. At the start of my first semester here on campus, I made it a goal of mine to expand and analyze printing services for the entire school. After meetings and extensive writing, the freshmen class of USG and I wrote up a formal proposal requesting the addition of Ore Printers in all Residence Halls and the Student Center which is under review at this moment. We have also planned for a long-term solution to our campus’s printing issue with the expansion of Ore Print and allocation of fees to allow for free printing in future semesters to come.
Quinn: For the past academic year, I have held the position At-Large to the Community, in which I attended both Executive and Senate meetings. I feel that having the rounded experience of how USG works inside and out gives me the experience to be a great candidate for Student Body President. This includes my ability to fill in and attend meetings within campus, and with Golden officials too, such as Mayor Sloan. I also have experience with putting on projects and completing them such as Trick-or-Treat So Golden Can Eat and Helluva Service Event with my committee this past year. Overall, I have built my foundation to run as Student Body President upon my work in USG so far. This includes my involvement in Digger Drive, mainly focusing on working with legal, and outreaching to Golden to make sure that the program will not conflict with the city.
Tristan: Last summer I worked with Tesla and learned about how to work in a high-pressure environment. This allowed gave me the ability to learn how to effectively work in a group and take action. I had to pitch ideas to the board at Tesla; moreover, I know how to speak up for what I believe in and what I think. As President, I will speak up for everyone’s needs.
Jasmine: My past experiences in high school as varsity softball captain all four years, President of Mu Alpha Theta, and President of Cum Laude Society make me the perfect candidate for Vice President. I was instrumental in building a unified team that went to the final four two years in a row, so I know how to cooperate and lead and that is what I plan to do as Vice President.
How do you believe you can best represent the student body?
Willie: I feel as though my representation of the student body comes from my communication with all of you. I can represent the student body by taking their ideas and opinions into meetings and discussion. I am not simply a voice for you, but rather a voice composed of you.
Quinn: My increasing involvement with our campus allows me to have different viewpoints to accurately represent you, the student body. Also, being the head of the student body as President involves several meetings per week, and representing the undergraduate classes in those meetings is exactly what I can do to express comments and concerns to administration. For that to occur, I will make myself available to anyone who personally wants to meet and talk about any matter, whether it be concerns over safety or talking about common exams. This extends to how I can better assist the representation of the student body.
Jasmine: I can best represent the student body by making myself available every week to hear what the campus wants to see happen. By hearing what everyone wants, I can make it happen and get results. That is how I will serve the community, by taking what they want and finding solutions with the school to make it a reality.
Tristan: I will represent the student body by being active on campus and showing my support across the school. By attending events and being present, I can notice what needs to change and how to make it happen. With Jasmine, we can form a solid front and propose different changes around campus.
Why are you running for your selected position?
Willie: Mines has a special place in my heart. It is my home and I am very proud of everything the school stands for and is. I chose to come to this school because of its community and opportunity. Yet, although these mean so much to me, that does not mean that they can’t be improved upon. As a part of USG this past year, I have seen just how students can work to improve the Mines lifestyle. I want to continue to do this as your Vice President because I truly want our school to be the best and to strive for the best.
Quinn: I have always had an interest in politics and government, and I could finally get a good idea of what that is like by being active in USG. I want to continue as Student Body President largely because I find it rewarding to accomplish ideas and projects, and in part my passion for politics. As I have mentioned before, I consider Mines a home. This has been a large driving factor for me to run as President, as I want to advocate for all the student body and make sure everyone has an opinion in this community. In addition, so many great events, projects, and programs have been completed by USG representatives like all the volunteer opportunities and Nice to Meet USG events. I want to continue some of these great projects and see them to their end, with one of the largest and most important to me being Digger Drive.
Tristan: I am running for President because I believe I can relate to most students and speak on their behalf. As someone who understands the struggles at Mines, I know what people want to change. I can speak for everyone when I say Mines is difficult and anything I can do to make it easier or better for students is a priority.
Jasmine: I would like to be Vice President for many reasons, but the main ones focus on serving the community. I want to see more organizations and clubs involved on campus, and I feel like highlighting events on campus will create more campus unity. Bringing together different teams, clubs, organizations could make Mines a more unified environment and that is why I am running.
What other clubs/organizations are you involved in on campus and how do you plan on balancing those activities?
Willie: I plan on increasing my involvement with my Multicultural Engineering Society next semester as well as continuing in Cru and as a new member of the Peer Mentor Program. I have great time management skills and prioritize my tasks and commitments. I am willing to put my extracurricular activities and role in USG above other tasks. I am currently a busy person and can make efficient use of my time as I plan to continue next year.
Quinn: In addition to being in USG as At-Large to the Community, I also am a Student Ambassador for the Admissions office, giving tours to prospective students and families. I’m also the VP of Special Events for Rotaract Club, ensuring that all our volunteering opportunities are set up. In my involvement, I made sure to only take on as much as I can, just because I didn’t want to run into any problems with taking on too much in addition to academics. I will also be participating in the same clubs and organizations next academic year, allowing me to effectively balance my involvement. On top of that, I stick to my schedule and don’t plan anything more that I can handle. Something often overlooked in being involved is delegation of work. As the head of my own committee this year, I have come to understand that delegation is key to balance life. I will use these skills to balance my own involvement on campus.
Tristan: It all comes down to time management. I primarily focus on school but am a part of MAC and SWE. I am very organized and punctual, so I plan on making myself available to the campus as much as needed while still being able to go to meetings for the other two organizations.
Jasmine: I am a part of the Society of Women Engineers, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Astronomy Club, and MAC. I plan to balance everything by putting my time management skills to use. I put effort into everything I do and usually work best when I am busy. By dedicating certain times for each club and working on the weekends, I will be able to dedicate time as Vice President.
What is your favorite thing about Mines?
Willie: My favorite thing about Mines is you all. Everyone here is so different, yet so much alike. We all come from such diverse and different backgrounds, and somehow all ended up here. We are Orediggers – Helluva Engineers. We are quirky, odd at times, enjoy math and science jokes, and find love in what we do. We are kind and open hearted, and enjoy our daily dose of relaxation if we can find time for it. This is why I love our school above all. It is the people that make the community and form the culture – our unique Mines culture.
Quinn: Finding just one favorite thing about our campus is difficult, however after being At-Large to the Community for the past academic year, I have found that I really love that our community is a huge support system. All of us as students are in the same boat; we’re all here to learn and major in the fields of math, science, and engineering. Having such a great support system where we all support each other gives me pride for calling Mines my college. Support isn’t just helping peers with homework and studying, but also providing mediums for students to be active in the community, such as the events MAC puts on which allow us to break away from academics. Even the support we show at sporting events show to our athletic peers that we are there for them.
Jasmine: My favorite thing about Mines is the people. Everyone I have met has an amazing story and personality, which is why I even came to Mines. Each student is driven and hard working, which is something we all have in common and what allows us to help each other. The reason why being Vice President means so much to me is because after meeting everyone I want each person to feel like they are being heard.
Tristan: The best thing about Mines is how everyone is willing to help each other. I have learned that you cannot survive here alone, and I realized that a good support system is how to succeed. Mines has amazing people who make this school easier, and we all come together when needed to help each other. That is my favorite thing about Mines.
Is there anything else you would like the Mines Community to know about you?
Willie: Say hi to me in the halls if you recognize me! I love talking! I am also an adamant summer person and find happiness in heat and sunshine!
Quinn: I want to thank all Mines students, faculty, and staff for reading and being involved in the future of our community by taking action in elections. I am extremely excited to represent the student body and be a gateway for anyone to come and talk to me personally, on any matter. I will also be here all summer, and you can probably see me giving tours every so often, so don’t be afraid to say hello and talk even if it isn’t school related.
Jasmine: I would like the community to know that I take this very seriously and am determined to make next year the best one yet! It has been great campaigning and meeting everyone.
Tristan: So in high school I started a club for children with special needs in Fort Worth, Texas. When I was heading the charity, I made sure that every child’s voice was heard and that nobody was ignored. I would institute the same kind of consideration to the students of Colorado School of Mines and make sure that everybody has a voice on this campus.
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