Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.

You may not know it, but you are a member of the Student Association – the student government that represents all undergraduates at SUNY-ESF and Syracuse University.

Now, you might be asking yourself, what does SA do? Well, SA is a student government, but it is also one of the largest student advocacy groups on this campus. Also, SA manages a multimillion-dollar budget that funds our student organizations such as the African Student Union and CitrusTV, as well as funding events with people such as Dan Levy and 21 Savage.

Even if you haven’t thought about it before, SA has definitely impacted your life on campus.

My name is David Bruen, and I am running for SA president alongside my friend Darnelle Stinfort as vice president. We are fighting for change – for all of us.

Right now, we are living through the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in hate incidents nationwide and a worldwide struggle with mental health. For many of us, our optimism and positivity have taken the backseat. However, our shared understanding of what we desperately want and urgently need has not gone away — and that is a substantive change here at SU. 

Over the past 10 years, leaders in SA have campaigned on and been measured by just a few, short-term proposals. But we recognize that these are tumultuous times that call for leaders who will act urgently to solve our most pressing problems while also offering a vision for what the next 10 years at SU will look like. 

We will be those leaders.

As students, we’re told that this education we are gaining is preparing us to be the leaders of tomorrow. But the times tell us that we can’t wait, we can’t sit on the sidelines. Instead, we must take the reins of leadership to face issues head-on with courage and optimism right now.

This year, Darnelle and I were the only ones who stood up to lead SA for the upcoming year. In this campaign, we have stood up for big ideas and a vision for our future. Because we have, a few more have stood up as well. 

Come election week, from April 26 to 29, we hope thousands more will join us with courage and common cause so we can change SU together.

We live in unprecedented times, so we must take on a higher mission of fighting for change. But, we can only achieve this if we put aside our apathy and empower our own positivity and determination to dream farther than we can reach.

Don’t get the wrong idea. We do have the humility to admit that we may not achieve all that we aspire to achieve. Nevertheless, at this moment, we are choosing to lead and fight for what’s right. Making this change a reality will not be easy, but never forget that, no matter the obstacles ahead, nothing can stand in the way of those fighting for change.

As you enter Maxwell Hall, you see the Athenian Oath inscribed on the wall. “We will transmit this city not only not less but greater, better, and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.” Those words call upon all of us to stand in solidarity and work to make this community better, not just for the four years that we are here but for years to come. 

Darnelle and I are determined to continue working to make this a reality. If you want to join us, then you can follow our social media at @ddsa_2021 or find more information on our website. We also encourage you to vote for us and our vision for the future on MySlice starting April 26.

David Bruen

SA Presidential Candidate

Class of 2023

Darnelle Stinfort

SA Vice Presidential Candidate

Class of 2022

Published on April 21, 2021 at 7:28 pm