A group of S.G.I. representatives will seek to bring a spark to the University community if their ticket is voted in for Student Government Incorporated Executive Board elections.
IGNITE consists of current junior senator Jenny Rankin for SGI president, two-year SGI representative April Gardner for vice president, current research and development chair Arcangelo Petretta for treasurer, public relations chair Luke DaMommio for secretary, Katie Dineen for senior senator, Cody Barber for junior senator and Cathy Sheehan for sophomore senator.
In an interview with the Torch, Rankin says she’s up to the task of fulfilling what’s required to be SGI president.
“I understand what it’s all about,” she said. “I made the relationships with administration and people within SGI I know what needs to be done to make it successful.”
She said IGNITE’s main platform is to cultivate an increased sense of school spirit and communicate more with students.
“I come from Columbus, Ohio where everything is about the Buckeyes and it’s really a community,” Rankin said. “I want that to be at St. John’s.”
IGNITE will continue to promote their SJU100 initiative in order to foster student engagement and tradition and will also encourage students to go to more athletic games and different student organization events.
One of her ticket’s main goals is to improve the relationship between students and the administration.
“I want to work with the administration so there could be better communication between students,” she said.
Besides invigorating the student base and bringing more transparency, IGNITE has several projects and initiatives their executive board would like to address if elected.
Among those include: ensuring the continuation of the Manhattan shuttle bus, improving the overnight guest policy, communicating with local businesses regarding student discounts and use of Storm Cards off campus, introducing eco-friendly automated hand dryers and reverse vending machines, proposing a bike sharing program and designing a mobile app to notify students of parking availability throughout campus.
Above all else, Rankin wants students and organizations to know that she will “be there for them.”
“I want them to know I’m here for them to make a difference and be an advocate for the students,” she said.
