Let’s Talk Politics
Elon sophomore Andrea Sheetz and Elizabeth Warren. (Photo supplied by Andrea’s Instagram account)
What do Elon sophomore Andrea Sheetz and Elizabeth Warren have in common? They’re both running for office (and their facial expressions in this photo).
Sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in large-scale politics. Especially right now, as the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election is all over the news. And while that election is undoubtedly a big deal, it’s also important that we pay attention to local politics as well.
Right now, Elon’s Student Government Association (SGA) is getting ready to elect new officers, and Andrea is running for class of 2022 senator.
“I have the passion, initiative, and ideas to make positive changes that will benefit everyone,” Andrea said. “I love this campus and its people, but I recognize where we can improve and hope my classmates give me the opportunity to make those changes to benefit us all.”
Her campaign is based on two goals. First, she is focused on enhancing mental health services on campus.
“When students have been abroad and when they’ve come back, I hear a lot about how hard the transition to life in another country and culture can be,” Andrea said. “Elon has made great strides in improving mental health services available on campus, but with study abroad being such a popular experience and also challenging, I think we need to do better for our students who choose to go abroad. This is why, if elected, I would work with Counseling Services, the GEC, and my colleagues in the senate to develop better online mental health programming.”
She also said, “SGA works for the student body and I think a better job could be done in reinforcing that.”
This connects well with her second goal: improving the relationship between SGA and Elon’s students. She hopes to do this through increased transparency and student engagement so that students who are not associated with the SGA can be in the know and voice their thoughts.
Andrea’s interest in politics is inspired by her experiences volunteering in her community, which forced her to confront inequality. This passion led her to join Elon Votes and the Neighborhood Coalition and Transportation Committee. It also led her to spend this past J-term in Iowa, where she was able to participate in politics on a larger scale.
“Experiencing and learning from Iowa caucus preparations was the best experience I’ve had since coming to Elon,” she said. “I was able to see all the elements that go into making the Iowa caucuses happen up close and in person.”
While in Iowa, Andrea volunteered at the Democratic Party headquarters and attended many events leading up to the infamous Iowa caucuses. Not to mention, she got to see several big names, such as Elizabeth Warren, Julian Castro, and Joe Biden.
“Coming back, I had my fair share of ‘now what?’ moments in going from a very immersive experience to back here where I was following remotely and it’s, quite literally, not the talk of the town,” Andrea said. “But the first week of spring classes was also very close to many states’ primary registration deadlines, and the enthusiasm has only been building.”
So, as the Super Tuesday primaries come up and out-of-state students send in their absentee ballots, remember that your voice matters here on campus, too. SGA is just one outlet here at Elon.
“I am proud of how I have already represented student voices,” Andrea said. “[And] I am incredibly excited to further engage with my classmates over the issues ahead of the 2020 general election.”