Together We Soar

By Theresa Whitfield and Noelia Veras

The Together We Soar Ticket has been over a year in the making, ever since Melissa Zentz first approached Cecilia Bracey about running together the first week of the 2019 spring semester. Bracey’s personal journey of falling in love with Catholic University has given her a strong passion to make it a better place for the entire student body. It is this passion, in combination with her leadership experience, that has given her the firm conviction she is the best candidate to do so. 

Junior musical theatre major Bracey is currently a Student Government Association (SGA) senator for the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music. In addition to her two years experience as a senator on SGA, Bracey is also involved with Center Stage and residence life as an RA in Regan Hall. For Senator Bracey, Together We Soar seeks to transform SGA to a “foundational structure and not an umbrella one,” through student empowerment. 

Bracey believes that her time on SGA has taught her how to work with others and empower other senators to bring resolutions forward.

Student empowerment comes in the form of the campaign’s four pillars spelling S-O-A-R. The first pillar stands for “Student Empowerment.” Ideas under this pillar include leadership seminars and workshops, student town halls, and doubling the amount of Treasury Board meetings in the fall to allow for the influx of student organization presentations.

The second pillar stands for “Openness.” This pillar addresses the need for open communication and transparency between SGA and the student body. Monthly emails updating students on the activities of SGA as well as monthly meetings between the executive board and the various student leaders on campus are some of the ideas aligned with this pillar.

“Accountability” is the third pillar, which aims to show the student body that the executive board is following through on its proposals and enacting legislation that reflects the wishes of the students. The fourth and final pillar is “Redefine,” as in redefining student government to be “the foundation that empowers students.” The main way they plan on accomplishing this is through two new executive initiatives: the athlete and arts initiatives. 

Bracey plans to rely heavily on the chairs of the executive initiatives to act as a cabinet because she admits that she “does not know everything about everything” and their expertise will better guide her in her resolutions, as well as addressing problems and questions posed to her by the administration. 

Besides communication between students and SGA, Together We Soar has plans to develop a crisis plan so the university “across platforms, including our student leaders, knows what it is doing” in the case of a future crisis such as the current coronavirus. 

Junior philosophy and politics double major Zentz believes she has the necessary experience to be the next vice president. Zentz has been a senator in SGA for three consecutive terms and is currently the chair of its Academic Affairs Committee; she is also president of the mock trial team and the graphic designer for Program Board, and was a dancer in Catholic U’s dance company. She aims to be an active liaison between the students and faculty and SGA. Zentz believes that students are the source of the university’s success and for this reason is passionate about empowering students. Some of her plans include providing monthly emails to the student body with updates from SGA, having general meetings with leaders from the Catholic U community to discuss how to better the campus, adding two executive initiatives for the arts and sports, and implementing a senate resolution tracker. 

“I am passionate and dedicated to empowering the students to make a difference in our university,” Zentz said. “My three years in the senate and other leadership roles such as being the president of the mock trial team, make me an ideal candidate.”

Junior accounting and finance major Julia Friedl served on the Treasury Board her sophomore year. The main goal she has for the next school year is to “familiarize students with the Treasury Board.” This will start at the beginning of the school year with the board members introducing themselves to new students and clubs and will continue into the school year by tabling monthly. 

Concerning budget allocation, Friedl emphasizes that the directors should be “strong analytically and financially minded” individuals whom the treasurer can trust to make the best decisions for the clubs to put on great events. 

Junior accounting major Robert Giron is running with this ticket for secretary. He is involved in the Program Board as the digital marketing chair, is on the executive board of Catholic U’s Student Organization of Latinos, and he is also the director of the Pasión Latin Dance team. He plans on reaching 1000 followers on SGA’s instagram, sending out a regular newsletter for SGA, emphasizing inclusion of diversity, embracing diversity, and creating interactive media. 

“I’ve been able to strengthen my marketing and communications skills, and using those skills, I plan to grow SGA’s presence on campus to continue building the bridge that further connects with our student body,” Giron said.

The Together We Soar ticket has a clear vision to transform SGA into an organization that empowers students. With the ticket being made up of rising seniors who have been a part of SGA and other organizations for many years, the question arises as to whether or not they will be able to restructure SGA into the foundational structure they envision or if it will remain at the top of a hierarchy of student organizations.