As the sun begins to set on my journey as vice president of the Student Association, I will frankly just say my vision of what I thought the role would be and what it is was drastically different. Around this time last year, David Bruen and I were campaigning for SA president and vice president. Thankfully, we’ve accomplished a lot on our campaign platform like expanding the Menstrual Product initiative, prioritizing mental health by partnering with the Barnes Center at The Arch to provide the free Headspace app to students, making sure the Black History Month Celebration was a huge success and much more.

Although we ran unopposed, and at the time we didn’t fully understand why, it became apparent seeing how hard it was for the previous administrations: Mackenzie and Sameeha, Justine and Jeremy dealt with the extremities of being a student during weeks of protests, national unrest and a pandemic, all while running a student government. Navigating these unprecedented times, it will take some time for students to readjust to life as we hopefully move away from the pandemic.

So with that being said, I confidently believe David Bruen and Adia Santos make the perfect team in continuing to lead students during the uncertainty. I have had the pleasure of working closely with these two and can honestly say that their campaign platform is truly a reflection of who they are as individuals all while upholding community centered values and advocacy.

Through their advocacy, you get to see what they are about, as they campaign for bringing back meal swipes at the Schine Student Center, continuing to create solutions for food insecurity and even at the national level of reforming Title IX for better processes for survivors and unforgettably the fight to end student debt. David and Adia have proved themselves by firstly being a part of SA not for the titles, but also by putting in the work, day in and day out, even when no one is around.

The two of them working together is what I’d call the perfect mix. David is a bit more introverted, but when you get him talking about tangible and actionable solutions for students or voting accessibility, he becomes the most talkative person. On the other hand, Adia is a vibrant spirit who is dauntless in sharing her opinions, such as on a bill that may be favored by the majority. Both do their best work when trying to fully understand the needs of students that express their concerns. They both pay attention to the necessary details but from two different perspectives. This is very necessary when it comes to leading a team.

Even though I’m a senior, I definitely voted because we as a collective need to make the right choice in the right people to keep the work going in order to leave a positive for those that come after us. I truly and wholeheartedly encourage the students of SUNY-ESF and SU to vote for David and Adia as they strive to pursue legacy on this campus. Voting is open until Friday!

Darnelle Stinfort, current Student Association vice president