SBP Candidates’ Last Address to the Student Body Before Election

Yesterday marked the last official event for the 2017 Student Body President campaigns. The Final Speeches were the last chance for the candidates to address the Student Body as a whole before the upcoming election.

Facing off one last time, Michael Martinez and Stuart Clay stressed key points in their platforms and from their visions for the upcoming school year.

Martinez reiterated what he believes the next SBP should focus on for students.

“I think that the Student Body President would be missing the point if they didn’t believe that they have that responsibility from that chair to set the tone for the student body … I want to lead that charge and do my best to inspire and lead by example.” Martinez said.

Martinez also pointed out that a student body president needs a heart for administrative abilities. He believes that his work on the Cabinet this year prepared him for the challenge the Student Body President must be able to undertake.

The topic of a fifth exec member position sparked many debates throughout the campaign and Martinez added one last statement to the debate.

“Nobody is proposing that a spiritual life fifth position is the end all be all," Martinez noted. 

But he did say that the position is being discussed by student development and it is a conversation in which he hopes to include the Student Body.

Clay opened his speech by saying that he did not originally plan to attend King’s.

"The people at my brother’s graduation made me want to come here … they had been through a lot of things, but yet they were proud to be Kingsian," Clay said. 

He commits himself to creating a community that is full of gratitude.

“What I want to foster as the Student Body President is sense of joy and thankfulness and belong," Clay said. 

He also went on to expand on his principal ideas by giving practical implications.

“There are some specific proposals I have to help foster this spirit. First of all, I think we need to change our habits of a community … we need to do more to unify," Clay stated. 

He pointed to sports and student organizations as a place for the student body to come together.

“Rallying around these things-this is important. This matters. This makes a difference for King’s students," Clay said. “Let’s come together more often, let’s pursue policies that bring us together... not just once a year. These things are simple. They are straightforward. But they make a real difference in the lives of the students of the King’s College.”

Both these candidates have demonstrated a passion for this Student Body and unique ideas on how to better King’s next year. The students of King’s now are casting their votes to elect a new leader.

The next Student Body President of The King’s College will be announced Thursday at 12:15 p.m. in the first floor lobby.