Vote Mattie Winburn for Community

| Photo courtesy of The King’s College.

When I reached out to Mattie to ask if I could write an op-ed in support of her candidacy, I had no clue the EST was allowing each candidate an op-ed submission from a member of their campaign team. Let me be clear — I am not a member of Mattie’s campaign team, nor was I asked to write this piece. I am, however, the Barton Helmsman, and within this past year, I’ve personally witnessed Mattie’s capacity for leadership. I am writing this as a student, not on behalf of Mattie or her campaign team. 

The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

I did not run for House exec. I joined the team in the middle of the summer, after a year of remote learning and was unable to attend Statesmanship. I stepped into the position feeling unprepared and unsure about the year ahead. 

Mattie Winburn has been a godsend. 

Mattie is currently Barton’s President. She goes above and beyond. She is at every event, whether or not she has to be. She stayed well after the Galentine’s event ended to assist in cleaning up and made sure I was doing okay after a tough week. Where I have fallen short, Mattie has picked up the slack, and she does so without expecting so much as a thank you. 

In high school, I was Student Body President. I graduated with a vow to never participate in student leadership again. My time was marked with toxicity and unrealistic expectations. 

Four years later, I found myself as Barton’s Helmsman and my experience has been the exact opposite. It's been overwhelmingly rewarding.

Unfortunately,  my experience is not universal. Too many people in House leadership feel overworked, unsupported and constantly criticized. 

In the weeks before Mattie’s campaign announcement, I came to realize how much I owe Mattie. It’s her leadership I have to thank. I believe House culture comes from the top down, and as Helmsman, I have felt nothing but support from both Mattie and the House. Mattie sets the tone — she is consistently providing her team with positive encouragement, constructive feedback and a sense of empowerment. She is incredibly intentional about engaging our House members.

I truly believe there is something special going on in Barton this year, and it is largely due to our President.  

Others (both inside and outside) of our House feel the same way. Mattie is well-loved because she pours love into the house. One Barton freshman, Meghan Huberty, expressed, “Mattie’s care for our House is incredibly genuine, and she goes out of her way to pursue deeper relationships.”

When interviewing Mattie about her time as President, she said, “When cultivating the culture of a House, you have to walk a fine line between building community and promoting individuality. Barton is at its best when the individuals within our House are at their best…. There’s a difference between building community and demanding conformity. As President, I have made it my goal to create a space for individuals to grow, while also creating bonds with other members of our House.” 

It is Mattie who keeps remarkable control of our meetings, manages our budget and personally attends to the little details that others would let slip through the cracks. 

It is Mattie who facilitated the revival of our beloved (yet temporarily lost) Blood Drive tradition, and whose efforts and coordination blew our donation goals out of the water. 

It is Mattie who gets her hands dirty and solves the problem when things go wrong. 

It’s Mattie who will drop everything, in an instant notice, to be there for a fellow Barton. She’s also unafraid to call out problems within our House.

I’m not the only one who has noticed her exceptional work ethic. When I reached out to Luke Gainey, the President of Churchill, he expressed, “Mattie Winburn is someone I think very highly of. On top of her discipline and respect for others, she has one distinct quality that not many people have—and that quality is endurance. I believe Mattie has the ability to keep moving forward with the same energy and care no matter how long the situation or season of life she is in. She’s determined, loving, and strategic. The fact that she’s running for SBP is a blessing and a huge opportunity for this student body.”

Taryn Cohn, last year’s Director of Communications, reached out to me to attest to Mattie’s character. “The one thing that stands out to me about Mattie’s campaign is how present she is in it.” Cohn said. “Despite common belief, the Student Body President is an integrated role in the Cabinet and not one of mere supervision and competence … Being on the Cabinet is challenging. When other responsibilities come into play, it is easy to shirk off the ‘hard work’ it takes to sustain change for a far-off generation and instead, use that time to serve oneself. However, Mattie aims for the opposite: her vision for the school relies on the expense of herself. She’s the first person there and the last one to leave; she spends her free-time meeting with students and hearing their complaints…The Cabinet is the channel in which the Student Body is served, but their work is in vain if their leader is above it all.” 

When it comes to Interregnum and House competitions, I was, once again, struck by how different Mattie has made my experience at this school. Mattie understands the true point of the House system and competitions: making the student body more united, not divided. Winning is great but not at the expense of Interregnum’s true purpose. Rather than putting the outcome of the competition above all other values, Barton — under Mattie’s leadership — encourages all of our students to participate, regardless of how “skilled” they may be in any given category. We value everyone’s importance and input. We strive to cultivate a war room where the members of our House want to come together.

If something is going right in Barton, it is because we are looking towards Mattie. 

Mattie Winburn celebrates our differences as much as what brings us together. She advocates for what the House truly needs. She has devoted her career at King’s to creating an environment where her peers can thrive. She’s self-sacrificing.

I am not voting for her because we’re in the same House; I am voting for her because she has made our House feel like a Home. I am voting for her because I believe she can do the same for King’s as a whole.

I would not want anyone else to be my President. 

Paige Miller is a senior in the House of Barton. She is currently Helmsman of Barton and Senior Producer of ESTv.