Presidential Candidates Campaign Interview Ft. Stanley & Bandaru
The following is an overview of an interview conducted with Katie Stanley and Suchi Bandaru regarding their campaign for the upcoming student government presidential elections.
Maya Illanes | millanes@butler.edu
Katie Stanley and Suchi Bandaru, two juniors running for President and Vice President of Butler University’s SGA in the 2023 elections, are incredibly excited to share their campaign. Involvement with SGA for Stanley and Bandaru has led to personal growth as leaders and advocates for every person in the Butler community.
Their experience with their campaign has been incredibly positive and encouraging for them both. Stanley says, “I have loved getting to know so many students on campus…it has been comforting to see the number of people who support SGA as a whole and engage with the campus.” That being Bandaru’s first campaign, she has loved experiencing it firsthand. Bandaru says, “The number of people that care about the future of Butler and the number of students that will take the time out of their day to engage is encouraging.”
Stanley and Bandaru’s campaign is centered around three words, “Integrity, commitment, and passion.” These words reflect their values and what SGA means to them. Bandaru explains, “Katie and I sat down and talked about how those words will translate into what the future of SGA will look like, and it helped us think about what Butler has and what it needs to grow in the future.” Stanley admires her and Bandaru’s ability as friends and as running, mates to compromise with each other “Despite our campaign being set, we are always coming up with new ideas and are always willing to work through everything together. I am proud of all the new initiatives and big project ideas that have me excited for our potential.”
The community Stanley and Bandaru are striving to build is one of belonging. Stanley believes in a society where “everyone is embraced for the different strengths that they can bring to the table. It is important to acknowledge and account for all marginalized communities and to make sure we can step up to the plate for every person in the best possible and most beneficial way.”
One of the most important aspects of their campaign is the possible physical changes to be made to campus. Stabley and Bandaru envision renovations for the HRC including updated equipment and machines and implementing a new snack bar. Together Stanley and Bandaru’s vision is to, “be able to walk away from campus and see a better Butler. Even if people don’t know that it was because of SGA’s impact, we have done something that has made lives better and as a result, we will be able to come back to Butler in the future to see that lasting impact.”