Kayla Grogan, a second-year studying political science and criminology and the current deputy chief of staff, is running for student body president this year. Her running mate is Katie Phillips, a third-year majoring in political science and current student senator representing the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Grogan and Phillips’ campaign focuses on mental health and wellness. They said their goal is to create meaningful change across campus.
“Our platform is centered around the students,” Grogan said. “We really want to bring a change to the student body that is less internal and more external — the kind of change that students want to see throughout their campus. [It] is really just set around the student experience and bringing about impactful, meaningful change to the students that are quite literally giving their student fees to us to do that for them.”
Grogan and Phillips said students’ mental health and overall wellness are at the center of their campaign and goals in Student Government.
“Focusing on mental health is huge,” Grogan said. “Bringing a sense of belonging that’s not just very surface-level, but a base for a very authentic change to our campus, and that really just starts with the students.”
Grogan and Phillips said their plans and abilities to carry out campaign promises are going to be built upon the foundations they’ve already laid as active members of Student Government and NC State’s community. Throughout their experience appropriating funds to various clubs and organizations, they’ve developed a deep understanding of how to help all groups on campus.
“We get to interview [student organizations] and then we get to appropriate those fees … to student organizations,” Phillips said. “That’s something that I’m really proud of, being able to have hands-on experience with that connection between Student Government and student organizations.”
In relation to the current student administration, Phillips said current members have provided a strong basis for their platform to build upon and continue into next year.
“I think one of the biggest strengths of the Student Government is that there are a lot of very passionate people, and by design, they are from all over the University,” Phillips said. “But I think one of the things that we are lacking in is that transparency to the student body of what we’re doing. I think sometimes the policies can be a little internal, and one of the big things that I think Kayla and I are really excited to potentially bring, as the candidates, would be allowing students to have policies that affect them on a daily basis.”
Grogan said her previous positions in Student Government and widespread connection to the student population have given her the ability to not only best represent them, but actively include them in the political process.
“Katie and I are both very involved throughout our campus and that’s something we’re really proud of,” Grogan said. “I’ve gotten to see a lot of [student organizations] succeed in their passions and in their projects, and I’ve been able to aid them along.”
Grogan and Phillips said they’re running on a campaign focusing on addressing the issues affecting students the most in their day-to-day life as well as promoting more involvement in Student Government for students of all walks of life. More information about Grogan and Phillips and their platform can be found on their campaign website.
Students can vote March 6-7 through the Get Involved website.
Kayla Grogan, a second-year studying political science and criminology answers a question during the debate held by Technician and Nubian Message in Talley Student Union on Friday, March 3, 2023.
