Anonymous

As soon as the Student Government Association campaigning period began at 12 a.m. on March 14, Jaime Perez ‘23 and Sarah Cooper ‘23 announced their candidacy for the 2022-2023 Co-Presidential position. Perez and Cooper’s campaign attracts students from all backgrounds, political parties, and campus groups. On their campaigning team, you’ll see Republicans, Democrats, men, women, and students from different racial and identity groups all sharing a common cause: “Making the Hill a Home.”

 To “Make the Hill a Home,” Perez and Cooper understand that there shouldn’t be a hierarchy of student power. While student leaders, the candidates perceive themselves as representatives for student voices more than anything, asserting in a joint statement: “Our campaign isn’t simply about winning the co-presidency, it’s about making the hill a home for all students at Holy Cross. We all deserve to find this campus to be a home for us, and we cannot afford to have any students feel as if Holy Cross isn’t their home. It’s about making the hill the home not just for Sarah and I, not just for our friends, but for every single one of the members of the Holy Cross community.”

To many students at Holy Cross, “Making the Hill a Home” is a slogan of unity, carrying a shared experience of displacement amongst the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for reunification. With changes in schedules, plans, and aspirations, the College community often feels fractured: students are less optimistic about school and mental health is at an all-time low. Perez and Cooper express their perseverance to rectify this problem, beginning with open communication not just between members of the SGA, but with the entire student body. Perhaps through this revolutionary model of co-presidency, future candidates will understand that the SGA is not an isolated organization, but one that speaks with and for the campus community. 

We ultimately want to leave Holy Cross feeling like we’ve contributed to something bigger than ourselves and to lasting change. Continuing on the path of stagnant policymaking, poor communication, and an estranged community only jeopardizes the Holy Cross experience for future students. This election offers an opportunity to make permanent changes in the SGA and within the campus community. Perez and Cooper’s fervent determination to rectify the problems on campus earns my vote. When the general election opens on Monday, March 28, at 12 p.m., I hope their campaign will also earn yours.