Next week, GCU students will take to the polls and exercise their civic duty to elect a new ASGCU president and vice president. As you see all the posters and fliers around campus, take an opportunity to meet the candidates and learn their intentions for next year.
Nick Ely, a sophomore and a double major in history and Christian studies, and Trent Bruns, junior communications major, are running for office on the platform of community. Ely is a transfer student who was drawn to GCU’s close-knit community. He was a Young Life leader at Paradise Valley High School and a youth intern at Harvest Bible Chapel.
Why are you running for this position?
Nick: I am running for this position with Trent because we want to ensure that the community at GCU continues to strengthen as the school grows. We feel that we can successfully work with ASGCU and relate to the faculty and executives in a way that promotes fellowship and community among the students. It is something we consider integral to academic and spiritual success — and the reason both Trent and I are students at GCU.
What have you done in your time at GCU that qualifies you to be ASGCU president?
In my time at GCU, I have integrated myself into the community well. I have made great relationships with people through getting plugged into things like Chapel and theGathering. I have kept a pulse on student desires. As I am relational with a wide variety of people, I am able to understand their needs. Last semester, I brought the Students Support Brain Tumor Research organization to campus. In the last 10 years, the organization raised $2 million for brain tumor research. My roommate, Bryce, and I brought it to GCU to raise awareness and money for the cause.
ASGCU is the connection between students and administration. How do you plan to foster this relationship?
I think that being intentional about having regular meetings with executives and administrative personnel will be crucial. But I also think that the quality of those meetings will be much more important than the quantity. Trent and I will need to be industrious in the way that we relate to students and understand their needs and also systematic and tactful in the way that we present those needs to administration.
What do voters need to know about you?
The voters need to know that Trent and I are going to be as real as we possibly can about our position and what it means for the students. We don’t want students to think that we consider ourselves overly powerful or esteemed. What we do want students to know is that we are absolutely committed to being a part of them and fulfilling our main role, which is the voice of the students. We want students to know that we are approachable, easygoing and excited to join with them in building deep and meaningful community.
Voting for ASGCU Student Body president and vice president runs from Monday, February 13, to Wednesday, February 15. Vote in the Student Union between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. A student ID is required. Contact John-Paul Reiger at [email protected] or 639.6892 for more information.
