Interviews with the ASB Presidential Candidates

Voting for ASB elections opens Monday, April 19. The Point interviewed the three women candidates running for ASB President to hear what they are planning for the 2021-2022 academic year. Students can vote through an email sent by ASB President Nash Manker, or through the PLNU ASB website.

Jai’lynn Parham, junior psychology major

Why do you feel led to run?

“I feel led to run because there are a lot of problems regarding minority voices not being heard or listened to and I know I have the qualities to change that.” 

How has your time at PLNU prepared you for this position?

“Being at Loma has been challenging. I was blatantly ignored at New Student Orientation week, people have used microaggressions against me and people have been racist about slavery at the chapel. I’ve had a hard time, but with that comes resilience. Instead of transferring or just staying under the radar, I threw myself in leadership positions, so that people had to acknowledge me, respect me and listen to me. I am a board member of Black Student Union, a green sea hooligan, sea lion media contributor, diversity leadership scholar, zeemee influencer and a Resident Assistant (RA) in Nease.” 

What are the keys to translating your vision for Loma’s future into action? 

“The key to translating my vision for Loma’s future is being 100% real, and having action behind my words. Authenticity is key in leadership positions. I want Loma students to be able to trust me in this position. I would work closely with spiritual life, in order to get diverse speakers. I would attend different clubs and set up a time to meet with club presidents to see if there are any issues and work to resolve them. I will be fully present during office hours and use my social media platforms to disperse information about the school and the world.”

Any specific ideas or areas of focus for your campaign?

“The main idea my campaign is focused on is equality and empathy for all (regardless of race, gender, sexuality, etc.). Something I’ve noticed is how easily people disregard others who don’t look like them. I want to show love and compassion for everyone despite their differences and that’s not what’s occurring right now. I want to start paving the way to change.” 

What is your decision-making process like?

“I am fully aware that you cannot make everyone happy when making important decisions. But I want to make decisions based on what’s best for our community. I am very decisive and capable of coming to a resolution based on reason and empathy.”

What would you like to say to the other candidates running?

“I am proud of both of them for having the courage to run for president. This is a huge deal and you must have some guts! Whoever wins, I hope you take time to really listen to our community, especially the minority voices, and make the most of our senior year! I’m just so happy that we will have a woman president!”

Ella Malone, junior business marketing major

Why do you feel led to run?

“My freshman year, I felt really lonely and not seen. Why I’d like to run for president is because it gives me a platform to start a conversation with anyone on campus. I would also like to influence people to help others that don’t feel noticed [or valued] on campus.”

How has your time at PLNU led you to this?

“In my last two years of being an RA, I’ve been given the opportunity to help people who were in my same position freshman year; people who are not really settling in or putting on a face for other people. Being an RA has been okay in a relational sense, but it’s hard to have a certain relationship with people because your job is to also enforce rules, which is why I am looking at the potential of the president position.”

What are the keys to translating your vision for Loma’s future into action? 

“My view of this position is that it’s a highly relational role, not a political one. I don’t think this job is about direct initiatives, I think it’s much more about what kind of person you are. I think this is a personal leadership role. I don’t know what I can make happen yet. I am not running my campaign on what I will do, but who I will be.”

Any specific ideas or areas of focus for your campaign?

“My goal is kindness. The way I look at that is in a threefold plan: real kindness is shown through seeing people who are not very visible or hiding, listening to different voices and taking action based on that. I want to be someone that people actually feel like they can communicate their feelings [to].” 

What is your decision-making process like?

“I think of the big picture and take the individual steps to meet a goal. Adding on to that, any individual decision I make I try to align with said goal. Again, I am a highly relational person, so any decisions I make I think of the weight that my decisions have on others. I think organization and planning are consistent themes in my life.”

What would you like to say to the other candidates running?

“I am very excited about who is running. It takes off stress for me because no matter the results of the election, I know we’re going to have a strong president who will do a great job.”

Gracie Westgate, junior nursing major

Why do you feel led to run?

“I feel like a lot of people don’t feel like they are being seen or heard on campus. I really want to be someone people can approach. I want to be that person that people can come to be seen and heard and also have their thoughts, ideas, and opinions brought to the table. I want to be a voice and advocate for people on campus.” 

How has your time at PLNU led you to this?

“I’ve had different leadership roles at [PLNU]. The student senate helped me see how change can be made on a student level. This past year I’ve worked a lot in contact with the ASB Board of Directors, so I’ve seen a need for someone to come in and help people feel welcome and accepted.”

What are the keys to translating your vision for Loma’s future into action? 

“I think communication is huge for this role. You need to be able to communicate well with students and faculty and staff members so students’ needs can be effectively communicated to the adults. When I know what needs to be done, I am willing to fight for it.”

Any specific ideas or areas of focus for your campaign?

“I think a big focus is inclusion. I want to be that person that people can talk to not just during my campaign week, but next year I can make myself available to people. I want to be someone others can talk to who understands what they’re going through. I’m a nursing major, so I think I’ve done a good job of meshing my life well with the program and campus life. I am able to bring to the table their side of school.”

What is your decision-making process like?

“I like to hear other people’s input and every side to the story. I definitely take other’s opinions into consideration, but I was raised to have a good gauge on what I think is right and wrong. I do talk to adults because they have so many years of experience. And the big thing for me is prayer. Relying on prayer and God to open doors.”

What would you like to say to the other candidates running?

“No matter who wins, all three of us are so passionate and I believe God will use whoever He’s supposed to!”

By: Anna Carlson