Hello, Colby! We, Andrew Fabricant and Pasquale Eckert, are running for the positions of Student Government Association (SGA) co-presidents for the 2012-13 academic year. As active leaders and members of our Colby community, we have the understanding, experience and connections necessary to represent you in every facet of campus life.

Since arriving on campus from Dijon, France three years ago as greenhorn Feb-Frosh, we have assumed active roles in our dorms and various clubs and organizations on and off campus. With a passion for meeting new people and establishing connections in Waterville and abroad, we have immersed ourselves in Colby and have always worked to make a difference in whatever we’ve done.

Andrew is a third-year global studies and anthropology double major who is deeply involved in Colby’s music scene, having played keyboards for the Joint Chiefs, Funktion and multiple other groups on campus. He is also a member of the Blue Lights and has sung with the Colby Chorale in Waterville and abroad in Spain. Beyond music, Andrew has been a Colby Outdoor Orientation Trip (COOT) leader and is involved in the Pulver Art Committee, a club committed to advertising student art in Pulver Pavilion.

As of this year, Andrew was abroad in Madagascar studying anthropology. Upon his return to Colby, he was elected dorm president of Grossman and has joined the multicultural affairs committee and the committee on race and racism. Andrew also is a member of the 2013 class council. With regard to his current positions and experiences, Andrew is a well-rounded individual who is connected to the Colby community both at home and abroad. Pasquale is a third-year biology and art double major who is active in a wide spectrum of activities on and off campus. When not in the studio or lab, he’s volunteering in Waterville or writing articles for The Libel. Over two years on Class Council, he has helped to change key card access hours from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. nightly and prepare several class socials and dinners. Pasquale is also a member of the Colby Cycling Club and competes periodically in races.

This year, Pasquale has assumed new leadership roles in the Colby community. He is the club leader for Adults Reading to Children, working diligently to organize volunteering at the George J. Mitchell Elementary School. Pasquale is also a Community Advisor in Anthony Residence Hall. Through the Community Advisor (CA) position, he has broadened his understanding of the inner workings of Colby and in doing so acquired extensive leadership experience while maintaining positive relationships with his residents.

If elected, we pledge to further connect Colby students, faculty, staff and Waterville residents with one another through implementing increasingly transparent means of relaying information on and off campus. One way we will accomplish this goal is by facilitating bi-weekly forums in resident halls that will serve to inform students of current events in SGA in a direct and open manner. We also hope to facilitate forums between SGA representatives and Waterville residents to communicate what is happening on and off campus. Through such forums, we would hope to strengthen relations between SGA, students and all other members of our community.

In addition to increasing transparency, we are also invested in promoting school spirit. Whether students are athletic, artistic, academic or any combination of the three, everyone should have the opportunity to be recognized for their skills. This means instituting more symposiums for students to display their artwork, research projects, athleticism or any other accomplishments they are proud of. Such symposiums could also be open to Waterville residents who see Colby as an outlet for their creativity.

As SGA presidents, we will also work to create a major spring event, much like Hill in the Ville in the fall, to increase the flow of Colby students to Waterville on more than just one occasion a year. Through such events, we would hope to maintain a solid connection between Colby and Waterville year round.

As students we are deeply involved in our community here at Colby and are genuinely invested in the well being of all of its members. Through our academics and extra-curricular activities, we work to break the boundaries between students, faculty, staff and the city of Waterville with the goal of establishing one integrated community. We are confident in our ability to establish these connections and will work ceaselessly until this goal is reached. With that, we hope you will elect us as your SGA presidents.

Establishing a more integrated Colby community is our utmost priority. Let’s work together to realize this goal! Vote Andrew Fabricant and Pasquale Eckert, the Voice of the Students.