San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Elevate SDSU slate sweeps A.S. elections — except for one seat

Ronnie Cravens defeats Elevate SDSU candidate Anya Shutovska for vice president of university affairs
Vice+president+of+university+affairs+candidate+Anya+Shutovska%2C+third+from+left%2C+reacts+to+the+results+of+the+2018+A.S.+elections+while+President-elect+Chris+Thomas+consoles+her.
Andrew Dyer
Vice president of university affairs candidate Anya Shutovska, third from left, reacts to the results of the 2018 A.S. elections while President-elect Chris Thomas consoles her.

 Associated Students election returns Thursday night showed every member of the Elevate SDSU slate will sit on next year’s A.S. executive board, except one.

The executive board will consist of Chris Thomas as president, Nick Wohlman as executive vice president, Michael Wiafe as vice president of external affairs, Christian Onwuka as vice president of financial affairs and Ronnie Cravens — who defeated Elevate candidate Anya Shutovska — as vice president of university affairs.

“Anya’s been working for this position since forever — since I met her as a freshman,” Thomas said. “She’s going to keep working and I’m going to make sure that she stays involved and does what she needs to do.”

Prior to her loss, Shutovska said she is happy to have worked with “such a great group of people” and that she will always care for SDSU.

“I still love SDSU and I’ve given it everything that I have,” Shutovska said.

Cravens said he wants SDSU to feel like a “home away from home,” and that he is confident in his ability to take on his new role as vice president of university affairs.

“I’m confident in everything I do,” Cravens said. “I wouldn’t have signed up for this position if I wasn’t confident in everything I’ve done.”

Vice President-elect of University Affairs Ronnie Cravens was the only candidate not on the Elevate SDSU slate to win a seat on the A.S. executive board.

Despite competition from two write-in candidates, Chris Thomas was still able to secure his spot as A.S. president. While he was distraught over Shutovska’s loss, he said he has many aspirations for his time as president.

“I never want to be known as ‘A.S. president Chris,’” Thomas said. “I want to be known as Chris.”

Surrounded by fellow candidates and supporters, President-elect Chris Thomas (seated) reacts to the election results. Photo by Andrew Dyer.

Wohlman was one of three candidates who originally ran for executive office unopposed — Thomas ended up with two write-in opponents late in the campaign. Despite this, he said he worked hard talking with students to explore their expectations.

“I wanted to have them show me what they’re about and I wanted to show them what I’m about,” Wohlman said.

He said, for him, the work in his role as executive vice president starts now.

“I’m going to start working right away,” Wohlman said. “I love everything I’m about to do in this position. There’s no sleep, I can’t take my foot off the gas.”

Latrel Powell, the losing candidate for vice president of external affairs, ran alongside Cravens on the It’s Time SDSU slate and lost to Wiafe. Powell said while he was sad for his own loss, he was extremely proud of Cravens.

“I’m so proud of Ronnie because I know he’s going to make a lot of people proud and represent everybody we’ve (vowed) to represent,” Powell said.

Paige Doherty, computer science sophomore and one of three campaign managers It’s Time SDSU, said she was let down by Powell’s loss.
“It was definitely hard to see Latrel in the position like that, seeing all the work that he had put in and all of the heart and passion,” Doherty said. “But I’m excited to see what he does this year regardless.”

Political science sophomore Tiana Loving said she has mixed feelings about the election results.

“I feel like a lot of people really deserved the positions that they gained tonight, and at the same time, I’m a little bit sad about some people that didn’t get positions that worked really hard for this election,” she said.

At the end of it all, Thomas said he is ready for what’s next.

“Elections are elections, and you gotta move forward,” Thomas said.

Will Fritz contributed to this story.

About the Contributors
Bella Ross, Editor in Chief
Bella Ross is an SDSU senior double majoring in journalism and political science. She started working at The Daily Aztec in the news section in Fall 2017 and started to make videos for the newspaper in the Spring. She also works as an intern for Voice of San Diego and does some freelance work. In the past, she's worked at KPBS, inewsource and The San Diego Union-Tribune. She is hoping to report on national politics for a large newspaper one day. Follow her on Twitter @BellaMayaRoss.
Jocelyn Moran, Managing Editor
Jocelyn Moran is the managing editor at The Daily Aztec and a senior journalism and Spanish student. She has been writing for The Daily Aztec since Fall 2015 and has covered protests, sports, club events and breaking news. Jocelyn aims to represent her community by telling people's stories in an effort to demonstrate different perspectives to readers. Send tips to me@thedailyaztec.com and follow her at @jocelynamoran.
Andrew Dyer, Editor-in-chief
Andrew is a fourth-year journalism major and sociology minor. Andrew transferred to San Diego State in 2016 after receiving his associate's degree in journalism from Southwestern College in Chula Vista. At SWC, Andrew was the assistant arts and assistant news editor of the Southwestern Sun. Andrew began college in 2014 after more than 10 years in the U.S. Navy to pursue a career in journalism.
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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Elevate SDSU slate sweeps A.S. elections — except for one seat