Newly elected Associated Student Government President Lucy Steyer speaks about her previous experience on ASG and what she plans to accomplish in her new position for Emporia State on Thursday,April 8. She has become familiar with how ASG runs, as well as other campus organizations have given Steyer a new perspective on how to emit change.
As the Spring semester comes to an end, the Associated Student Government elections cemented next year’s president, Lucy Steyer, and vice-president, Lauren Moon. While they ran unopposed, the official voting ended on March 18.
“I really enjoy being on ASG,” said Steyer, junior political science major. “And getting to connect with students across campus. As president, you get to do that on a larger scale, as well as connect to faculty and administrators and advocate at the state level for what students need, not just on our campus.”
Both Steyer and Moon have now been on ASG for two years now, allotting them unique experiences in different committees and RSO’s. Familiarity with the different branches of ASG as well as other campus organizations increases their ability to make the changes they see most necessary on campus, said Moon.
“We’re really both passionate about food insecurity,” Moon said. “I’m currently president of Hornet’s Against Hunger, a new on campus RSO…We are actually getting ready to plant our community garden, and we’ve really been able to get more students involved with that. And hopefully, with our connections, Lucy and I’s connection with ASG, we can partner with them, we can partner with the EAT Initiative. I think with both of our backgrounds as well, we’ll really be able to make a lot of difference in the community regarding food insecurity.”
Steyer and Moon hope that with their participation across campus, they will not only have an easier time understanding student needs but that students will also feel more comfortable voicing what they believe is most important.
“We also want to have students be more proactive on campus and activities and things they’re passionate about,” Steyer said. “The point of student government is to represent what the students need. So giving them that support that they need to speak on certain issues, or come to us with things that they think would be beneficial for Emporia State.”
One objective Steyer and Moon feel passionately about is encouraging equity and equality among students. They believe starting with RSOs is one of the more effective ways to do that.
“We’re really focusing in on diversity and inclusion a lot, ” said Moon, sophomore biology major. “Lucy had this really good idea of having all RSOs participate in diversity training. Just to kind of spread that learning around and get it accessible to more students.”
Overall, Steyer and Moon want to encourage involvement and be leaders who advocate for the student body.
“I want (students) to know that I am passionate about getting their voices out there,” Moon said. “I’m passionate about helping them get involved in our community and on campus. I have so much love for our students in our school. I want them to know that I’m here for them. I’m an advocate for them. I’m going to give them a lot of opportunities to really take their learning and their educational experience and their leadership to the next level.”