By JORDAN GREEN, Editor-in-Chief
What are their strengths? What are their goals? What can they do for you?
That’s what students at Northwestern need to know about the candidates running for seats on the Student Government Association — and that’s exactly what the Northwestern News can tell you about.
Candidates for the offices of student body secretary and treasurer spoke with the News about their ambitions and why they’re asking for your vote via email Monday and Tuesday.
Their responses to our questions have been edited for length and clarity.
HIDALGO
Draven Hidalgo, a sophomore from Hooker, is running for the office of secretary.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I was born and raised in Hooker, Oklahoma. I took a year off to try to save up money to go to Croatia. It didn’t really work out. I went to OPSU. Then, I felt like Northwestern was probably the best school for me, so I transferred over here. I’m a music major, and I’m planning on performing whenever I graduate.
Q: What’s your motivation for running for this office?
A: I’m running just to be out there more. Go out there, try to help out with some of the events. I see those as pretty exciting to do next year. Be out there for the rest of the school. I’m in a lot of events. So, in terms of students being in other events, they’ll
notice me as “Oh, that’s Draven, the secretary.” They can go and ask me questions about the school for next year’s freshmen.
Q: What is a specific goal you hope to accomplish if elected?
A: Just be there to help. Just anyone who has any questions, anyone who needs just a little positivity out there on the campus, doesn’t feel like they’re getting out much. Come up, talk to someone like me. Get them going out into events. Just meeting new people. That’s basically it.
Q: What is a strength you have that would make you a good leader?
A: I feel like I’m pretty friendly. I feel like I’m pretty easy to talk to. I don’t feel like I’m too confrontational. That’s one of my best strengths.
Q: What else should students know about you?
A: I’m pretty much just a huge music nerd. I’ll probably be in Ryerson Hall for most of this. I just love everything about music and stuff.
TAYLOR
Cora Beth Taylor, a sophomore from Kingfisher, is running for the office of secretary.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I am from Kingfisher, Oklahoma. I will be a junior in the fall here at Northwestern. Just in my short time of being here, I’ve tried to delve deep into the leadership side of things and the community service side of things. I thought this would be an amazing opportunity for me and my peers to have.
Q: What’s your motivation for running for this office?
A: I think my biggest motivation would be just my opportunity to be an advocate for my peers.
Q: What is a specific goal you hope to accomplish if elected?
A: It’s to bring everyone together.
You have those students that are involved in SGA specifically and then other leadership groups that kind of participate. But then you have all of these other students and peers that might not see an opportunity to be involved. My biggest goal for this is to bring everyone together and make this more of a widespread group on campus.
Q: What is a strength you have that would make you a good leader?
A: I think one of my most important strengths as a leader is my ability to encourage and to be inclusive. I think that’s a really important thing to bring to the table when it comes to being a leader because there are going to be people that look to you for certain things and for different ideas. … If you are including them and encouraging them to succeed, they’re going to be more willing to look to you for help.
Q: What else should students know about you?
A: I will always be a friendly face to them on campus, and if they ever need somebody to vouch for them in any way, I will always be a friend to them in that. I am excited for this opportunity.
BLANKENSHIP
Tyler Blankenship, a freshman from Macomb, is running for the office of treasurer.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I’m originally from Macomb, Oklahoma, just about 18 students. That’s south of Shawnee. I raised sheep down there, was a big part of FFA. I did livestock judging, pig showing, anything you can really pick out of the FFA. I got super blessed with some cool opportunities up here at Northwestern, and that’s just kind of how I ended up here.
Q: What’s your motivation for running for this office?
A: Kind of my first big memory up here was the Aloha week they did. It was such a cool thing they put on. I was really just kind of introverted at first, not really sure how to meet people. I just saw the really cool SGA officers doing their thing, going crazy handing out stuff in the really cool event they put on. It was really my gate into how I met so many cool people up here.
Q: What is a specific goal you hope to accomplish if elected?
A: Just really keep reaching out to kind of the person that doesn’t get reached out to too often, just kind of like the more Type B personality.
Q: What is a strength you have that would make you a good leader?
A: I’m very comfortable in serving. By nature, I really feel like I can kind of get into any type of group or friend group and just kind of flourish there, no matter the type of leader that is already there. I really feel like I can have a place and use that to my advantage.
Q: What else should students know about you?
A: I’m just here to serve, and I’m really just like them. If they want to learn anything about sheep-raising, I’d love to teach them.
ZINK
Collin Zink, a junior from Blackwell, is running for the office of treasurer.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself.
A: I am from Blackwell, Oklahoma. I am an Eagle Scout, and I have cerebral palsy. My major is health and sports science, and my minor is mass communication. My future plans are to either try to become a priest or be a football coach.
Q: What’s your motivation for running for this office?
A: I’m running because I want to better promote the Rosary and help bring peace to the world. With this Rosary, the most powerful weapon in the world, it has the ability to change history and to bring peace and comfort to the world.
Q: What is a specific goal you hope to accomplish if elected?
A: The goal that I want to accomplish is to bring people closer to Jesus through Mary by means of the Rosary. Let me give you an analogy. Jesus is the doctor, and you could say that Mary is like a nurse. Normally, when you go to the doctor, you go to the nurse first. The nurse checks you out first, and she brings the doctor closer to the patient. Likewise, Mother Mary brings us closer to Jesus through her intercession.
Q: What is a strength you have that would make you a good leader?
A: One of my strengths is that I’m a people-person. I have leadership experience by being the president of the Sanctus Catholic Club. I’m a very social person.
Q: What else should students know about you?
A: I’m a devout Catholic, and I’m trying to do the best that I can to help make the world a better place. I’m just trying to build an army of prayer.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Collin Zink is a senior reporter for the Northwestern News. He did not review or edit this story in any way prior to publication.