This week marked the end of election season for LSU Student Government. Two incredibly strong campaigns, "Forward" led by Zack Faircloth and Lindsey Landry, and "Restart" led by Kendra Davis and Louis Gremillion fought tooth and nail campaigning in Free Speech Alley and on social media for weeks. In the end, Faircloth+Landry won with almost 60 percent of the votes.
Zack Faircloth is a junior electrical engineering major from Pineville, Louisiana. He served as the Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) President, member of the Ogden Honor's College, a Stamps Scholar and is vice-president of the Engineer's Without Borders program. Just alone with student government, Zack has served as the senator for the College of Engineering, the Budget and Appropriations Chairman and the Chief Advisor for the Executive Branch. He decided to run for president because he believes he can "work to maximize the opportunities and experiences for other students around campus."
Lindsey Landry is a junior child and family studies major from Lake Charles, Lousisiana. Lindsey, also a member of the Ogden Honor's College is also an LSU Ambassador, a member of Kappa Delta, a S.T.R.I.P.E.S small group leader and has been involved with student government as a representative since her freshman year. In KD, Lindsey has served as Girl Scout Coordinator and Academic Excellence Chair. She decided to run for vice president along Zack because "the vice president works mainly with each individual college council...I have been involved with college councils and seen many ways to improve so that students can see a more direct impact."
Along with presidential elections, college elections also took place, both campaigns having won some. Also, LSU voted in a Student Sustainability Fund to increase research and studies by adding $2 to every fee bill per spring and fall semesters, and $1 for the summer semester.
From the College of Agriculture:
President: Brad Frazier (Forward)
Vice President: Madeline LeBlanc (Forward)
Member at Large: Casey Kenney (Forward), Clint Pace (Forward), Haley Rupp (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Dana Bryant (Forward), Logan Duplessis (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: Tate Roussel (Restart), Victoria Klibert (Forward)
From the College of Art and Design:
President: Monica Olivares (Forward)
Vice President: Julia Scheuermann (Restart)
Member at Large: Charles La Greca (Forward), Hillary Heidingsfelder (Restart), Madeline Luke (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Katherine Becquet (Forward), Malachi Pursley (Forward)
From the College of Business:
President: Elizabeth Howe (Forward)
Vice President: Paul Naquin (Forward)
Member at Large: Austin Aucoin (Forward), Devan Baham (Forward), Regan Helmick (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Bret Wagner (Forward), Gabriel Chatelain (Forward), Kenneth Coleman (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: William Myers (Forward)
From the College of Coast and Environment:
President: Camie Cole (Forward)
Vice President: Jonathan Floor (Forward)
Member at Large: April Ellis (Forward), Brandon Champagne (Forward), Paul Peden (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Amanda Fontenot (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: Rosemary Farr (Forward)
From the College of Engineering:
President: David Moldonado (Forward)
Vice President: Jacqueline Samson (Forward)
Member at Large: Camille Smith (Forward), Justin Nhan (Forward), Libby Herman (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Alexandra Powajbo (Forward), Drake Wakefield (Forward), Sheila Mallenahalli (Forward), Timothy Mixson (Forward), Trey Bellew (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: John Nassab (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Andrew Bell (Forward), George Hill (Restart)
College of Human Sciences and Education:
President: Megan Schmidt (Forward)
Vice President: Abby Lewis (Forward)
Member at Large: Katherine Parks (Forward), Molly Ryan (Forward), Morgan Prejean (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Austin Nelson (Forward), Emma Castay (Forward), Esther Castay (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: Brooke Vinturella (Restart), Emily Jones (Forward), Laura Griffith (Restart)
College of Humanities and Social Sciences:
President: Run-off between Amelia Fertitta (Restart) and Christian Ledet (Forward)
Vice President: Lucy Simon (Forward)
Member at Large: Claire Landrieu (Restart), Lilly Dang (Forward), Sarah Edwards (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Lillian LaGrange (Forward), Sarah Perkins (Forward), run-off between Ayana Brown (Restart), Hailey Maldonado, (Restart) Kevin Ellis (Forward) and Monet LaCour (Forward)
Senate Half Seat: Mackenzie Treadwell (Restart)
Manship School of Mass Communication:
President: Virginia Stewart (Restart)
Vice President: Madeline Abadie (Forward)
Member at Large: Emma Hildreth (Restart), Lauren Artigues (Restart), Madeline Rathle (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Savanah Dickinson (Restart), run-off between Joan Lyons (Forward) and Khaila Sloan (Restart)
College of Music and Dramatic Arts:
President: Lyric Urzetta (Restart)
Vice President: Nelson Williams (Restart)
Member at Large: Curran Latas (Forward), Deaundre Woods (Restart), run-off between Hannah McDuffie (Restart) and Jenna Fife (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Kat Lopes (Restart)
Senate Half Seat: Kaitlynn Byrd (Restart)
College of Science:
President: Jordan Lange (Forward)
Vice President: Carolyn Cash (Forward)
Member at Large: Alexandra Anderson (Forward), Carley Boyce (Forward), RJ Mira (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Christina Black (Forward), James Mickler (Forward), John Brown (Forward)
University Center for Advising and Couseling:
President: Abby Massey (Forward)
Vice President: Blaine Loupe (Forward)
Member at Large: Candice Savoy (Forward), Kristen White (Restart), Tiffani Merridy (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Akua Kumi (Forward), Chandler Clickingbeard (Forward), Jason Badeaux (Forward), Taylor Yates (Restart)
Senate Half Seat: Thomas Huval (Restart), Matthew Dupre (Forward)
University Center for Freshman Year:
President: Josh Pickell (Forward)
Vice President: Maggie Poche (Forward)
Member at Large:- Bryson Jones (Forward), Lindsey Powell (Forward), Mark Hahn (Forward)
Senate Full Seat: Bailey Allmon (Forward), David Hunt (Forward), Emma Rabensteiner (Forward), Joey Impastato (Forward), Logan Cooney (Forward), Maxwell Martin (Forward), Stewart Lockett (Forward), Whitney Osburn (Forward)
School of Veterinary Medicine:
President: Shasta Flanigan (Restart)
Vice President: Kelsey Salsbury (Restart)
Member at Large: Brandon Day (Restart), Derecka Alexander (Restart), Megan Bouvier (Restart)
Paul M. Hebert Law Center:
Member at Large: Catherine Zeringue (Restart)
Senate Full Seat: Joshua Critselous (Restart)
Freshman Josh Pickell, President of UCFY, is more than ecstatic that Forward won. He chose the Forward campaign because of the "people that were leading it." Josh believes that "they [Zack and Lindsey] care so much about LSU...Zack and Lindsey are champions for higher education, the topic on the minds of students today, and I know that they will not stop until we are a priority for the state of Louisiana." When campaigning began in November, Josh was the only freshman, and he had to learn the ropes, but ended up falling in love with it. More freshmen joined and now he says "by the end of the campaign, staff was one big family."
Forward has 17 initiatives to help the LSU student body. Some of which include bringing Collegiate 101 to campus, more free Scantrons, LSU libraries allowing one free e-textbook per student a semester, improvements to the LSU app including notifications about contraflow, parking ticket forgiveness and my (and Josh Pickell's) personal favorite, having vending machines accept Paw Points! Zack's favorite is the LSU App Revamp because it "goes beyond the norm of parking and lighting on campus." Lindsey's favorite is Contraflow in the Know because the buses will begin taking people around campus after football games!
According to Zack, the first thing they plan to do is "surround ourselves with a strong senior staff and executive branch." I am optimistic about Zack and Lindsey leading our Student Body and campus Forward!
Congrats to all the candidates that took all the time, effort and work to make a change at LSU! You're all winners.
