Q&A | Sam Rickert is your only option for executive VP

Sam Rickert, a junior majoring in political science, is running unopposed for the position.

Photo courtesy of SGA. Graphic CW / Leah Goggins

Andrew Littlejohn | @Andrewlittlej19, Contributing Writer

How did you originally get involved with the Student Government Association (SGA)?

So, originally, freshman year I was lucky enough to be selected for [First Year Council.] I was just encouraged to apply, and I didn’t really think I was gonna get it because I didn’t really do SGA in high school. It was just a good learning experience and made me realize that it was a great thing I could do on campus.

What made you want to run for this position?

I would just like to continue in SGA to continue to leave a positive impact on this campus, and that’s kind of why I saw some problems that we could fix.

What makes you the best choice for this office?

I would say that it’s just my experience in SGA. I’ve worked with a lot of people in the last three years and know a lot of people in the administration on campus. We’ve done a lot of great things on campus as well, and I know how we can get a lot of good things done through administration.

What’s your opinion on the election being uncontested?

I think everybody is very well qualified. Even though it is unopposed, I do think that this coming year is going to be a very strong exec in that there’s gonna be a lot of good done in trying to return the campus to some kind of normalcy and improving student life at the University.

What’s the biggest problem you see on campus?

I think it has to relate to COVID-19. That’s on everybody’s mind, and it’s totally turned our world upside down. And mental health is down and just the overall experience at the University just wasn’t what it was before, and that’s the biggest problem I see.

What do you hope to accomplish in this position?

A: I hope to improve the student experience through my two platform points, which is student access and student advancement. I would try to get freshmen to leave this college in four years and still have the same experience of someone that graduated before COVID-19 had.

What’s one last thing you want voters to know about you?

I would just say that I’ve been in this role for three years and I’m really excited and I hope they vote for me on March 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on MyBama.