Name: Michael Wiafe
Position: vice president of external relations
Year: sophomore
Major: political science
Why do you want to run for vice president of external relations?
I’m running for this position because I saw the power that students could have when they unite. Through Associated Students is actually how I began my advocacy journey. I’ve had internships and experience where I saw that this is the position for me because of the power that this position has to change legislation. That’s what the VP of external relations does, is they advocate to (government) on the state, local and national levels. Students have a lot of power when they put their voices together and I’m running for this position because I want those voices to come together.
What makes you qualified for this position?
I am currently serving as vice chair of the external relations board and I’m a current Associated Students justice. As vice chair of the external relations board, I pretty much do what the vice president of external relations would like me to do as well as, when she was out on trips, I would chair the meetings of the external relations board which is the duty of the VP of external relations. I also went on three trips to the (Cal State Student Association) which is also the duty of the VP of external relations. I went without her, because she couldn’t go, and I’ve went with her before because (A.S. President Chimezie Ebiriekwe) couldn’t go. So, I have a lot of experience doing what the VP of external relations does as well as I have a vision of the future for students.
What would you like to change at SDSU?
At SDSU I would like to change the amount of division I see between different groups of students. On campus we have a lot of different, diverse students because we’re a diverse school. I started to see within and outside of Associated Students how these diverse groups of students differ with each other and refuse to kind of listen to each other because they feel like they’re not being heard and their issues aren’t being addressed. They kind of antagonize each other and I’ve seen a lot of back-and-forth.
What would you like to stay the same at SDSU?
I would like to keep our diversity. I do enjoy our diversity. I love that and it’s one of my favorite things about this campus. We have so many different types of students with so many different types of viewpoints and I think that’s a beautiful thing to have on one campus.
