Senates wrap up elections
Both the St. Ben's and St. John's senates finished out their spring semesters with a season of elections.
St. Ben’s Senate (SBS) and St. John’s Senate (SJS) recently held elections for their executive board for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.
The SBS executive board is as follows: CSB rising senior Alex Smith as president, CSB rising senior Ashanti Humes as vice president, CSB rising junior Grace Skinner as trustee, CSB rising senior Leah McCartney as treasurer and CSB rising sophomore Xiani Medina as public relations representative.
The SJS executive board consists of SJU rising senior Kobe Forbes as president, SJU rising senior De’Andre Forbes as vice president and SJU rising junior Ben Bugbee as trustee.
Kobe Forbes said not many Johnnies he talked to during the campaign knew what the SJS does. His goal is to change that narrative.
“I know some people only see us as guys in suits who don’t do much for the student body once we’re in, but I promise that CSB+SJU will see the St. John’s Senate in action this upcoming school year,” Kobe Forbes said.
Likewise, De’Andre Forbes is eager to take action.
“Securing the confidence of the student body to lead them was of upmost importance to me and I am most grateful for their support. But the hard work must now begin; I believe in our university there still is a lot of work and effort that must be done and made to improve the student experience, the quality of student life and access to a successful four-year experience. Particularly for the students who are most in need, that will be my focus for the entirety of my tenure as VP,” De’Andre Forbes said.
Smith spoke about the aspirations she has for the coming year.
“My goal for next year is to foster an environment that prioritizes being good stewards of the student activity fee. I hope to encourage professionalism and thoughtfulness as the senators make decisions. Additionally, I hope to inspire senators to build meaningful relationships with the student body in a way that creates a sense of trust, support, and understanding,” Smith said.
Similarly, Humes said her goals were to improve the communication between the SBS and the student body. She noticed there were many Bennies who didn’t vote or run for a SBS position, and she hopes the SBS can encourage more participation in the election and Senate-funded events.
“I am truly excited about what the future holds. I believe this can be a year of real progress, innovation and positive change. I would like to work towards making the Senate one that does not just claim to represent students in name but one that works on their behalf day in and day out. I call on all students to stay involved, be vocal and collaborate with me to create the future we want to see on campus,” Humes said.
