Last Thursday, candidates gave their speeches for the Student Government Association (SGA) fall 2022 election. Four students addressed the audience and asked for their votes. 

First up to the stage was Nafisah Conix, who is running for the Class of 2023 Senator position. As a senior, she stressed that many seniors feel as though their needs are not being met by the University. As seniors, she noted, they are preparing to go out into the world and seek employment — things that many feel they are not being adequately prepared for. 

Next was Jack Palumbo, running for Class of 2024 Senator. He spoke about how he sees a separation between what students need and what the university’s administration is doing. On why he is running, Palumbo said that he wanted to “give back by volunteering [his] time and effort into improving our school.”

Third to speak was Ethan Rosenberry. He is running for reelection to the Class of 2025 Senator position, having served in the position during the 2021-2022 school year. He spoke about the challenges SGA will face going forward because of a large number of vacancies as very few candidates have run in the last two elections. This idea was reinforced later in the evening by Rangeline DeJesus, the Student Trustee and chair of the Elections Committee. 

Last to speak was Ali Sina Sharifi. Sharifi is running for the International Student Senator position, a seat which has often been vacant in recent years. He touted his experience as a representative in the student government of his school in Afghanistan. He also spoke of his experience escaping from the Taliban and his arrival in the United States. On the topic of international students, he hoped that as senator he would be able to help his constituents connect with the larger campus community and that the cultural exchange would go both ways. 

After the candidates gave their speeches, they were asked questions by the audience. One question was on the topic of diversity. Conix spoke about how as a black student, she has never felt comfortable at Shippensburg University. Sharifi described how diverse his journey to the United States was; it involved meeting a diverse set of U.S. servicemen in Qatar and having his case handled by administrators of many races and religions. Rosenberry and Palumbo both discussed the contrast between the cultures and values of Shippensburg University’s campus and the rural and conservative community that surrounds it. 

Ballots for the election will be available from Monday, Sept. 19, at 8 a.m. until Thursday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. Students will receive an email on Monday morning with a link to vote through ShipLink. 

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