Written by Julia Weinstein. Picture Credit: Julia Weinstein.
The UCF Student Government Presidential Debate took place last night in the Student Union’s Cape Florida Ballroom, drawing an unexpectedly large crowd that exceeded the room’s capacity, leaving many students waiting outside. With five presidential and vice-presidential candidate pairs on stage, the debate offered a range of perspectives on issues affecting the student body.
Brandon Garrett & Liam Casco
Garrett, a TikToker and UCF United Nations member, emphasized the need for more representation for graduate and Ph.D. students, increased club advertisement, and making student government information more engaging. Casco, with eight years of Model UN experience, focused on job accessibility for students, standing up to legislative policies affecting UCF, and improving club visibility beyond Knight Connect.
John Grouse & Lara Alssad
Grouse, known for his “Penguin Therapy” community-building approach, wants to bring back a 90s vibe to campus and increase student events. He emphasized that his experience dressing as a penguin and helping students navigate their issues has prepared him to be a strong leader. Alssad, a former mock trial attorney, spoke about the importance of addiction support and improving outreach for commuter and Rosen students.
Nina Rodriguez & Hunter Thoss
Rodriguez, a current student senator, proposed a mandatory web course to educate students on student government’s role. Thoss, with experience in club fundraising and finance, advocated for increased funding for graduate students.
Lester Tellez & Andrew Ter-Doest
Tellez, a computer science major and political YouTuber, emphasized his work ethic and proposed a podcast to engage students in government initiatives. Throughout the debate, he and Ter-Doest took responsibility for the large turnout, attributing it to their viral campaign video, which they claimed had brought more attention to student government than any current members. Ter-Doest, a freshman UCF College Republicans VP, focused on increasing student involvement, hosting weekly Zoom sessions with senators, and highlighted his wish to get more students involved regardless of if they support their campaign or not.
Luci Blanco & Jarib Benitez
Blanco, a well-connected student government leader, promised a diverse cabinet and a commitment to student voices. Benitez, the 2024 Homecoming King and Universal Knights organizer, aims to streamline student resources through a revamped MyUCF portal and increase student engagement with initiatives like meeting with 50 organizations in 50 days.
Aftermath
The debate, moderated by Student Government Supervisor of Elections Luke Brown, saw an unprecedented turnout compared to previous years. Students will have the opportunity to vote for their next student government leaders on March 10th via MyUCF.edu.
