Julia Campbell, current Student Government director of affordability, is a presidential candidate for this spring’s election as she and her vice presidential candidate, Megan Decker, look to take office next fall.

Campbell, junior in agricultural business, has been involved in many activities since she has arrived in Ames. Along with her current role as director of affordability, Campbell is an alumna of the President’s Leadership Class, a Pilates instructor at State Gym, a peer mentor for the department of economics and is also now a member of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences career services office. In many of her roles, Campbell has mentored students through the challenges they may face throughout their college career. 

One of the key messages Campbell wants to get out is her devotion to protecting students’ wallets and bank accounts. She hopes to work with various avenues where she can help lower the cost of the Iowa State experience. 

“I’m continuing to understand how we can monitor what’s going on in the state legislature at a federal level that might impact students’ ability to fund their education experience,” Campbell said. “In addition, helping work with various initiatives on campus to promote different accessibility levels are in terms of scholarships, grants and programs that might assist students with tuition and other items.”

Another point of emphasis Campbell is highlighting is that she wants to take on an approach that focuses on the bigger picture. A few topics would include students’ mental health, promoting diversity and inclusion causes on campus and the continuing investment into learning communities.

“We plant the seeds today for what we hope to harvest and you know, in terms of adapts down the road,” Campbell said. 

For mental health, especially following a pandemic where social settings were morphed into inclusion spaces, Campbell wants to turn the tide on the sadness the pandemic has presented. 

“There are so many things affecting the students within our Iowa State community,” Campbell said. “Bringing those students back to campus and helping to reengage them to a place where they truly feel that they are a supported, respected and valued member of the Iowa State community, where their ideas are heard and action is taken on those ideas.”

According to Campbell, one way to help engage students has been the existence of learning communities. If elected, Campbell would continue to support the investment for these communities. 

“We (Campbell and Decker) plan to support learning communities on campus,” Campbell said. “91.6 percent of first-year students, would it be transfer or an incoming student as a freshman, touch a learning community. Whether residential or academic, continuing to help support those learning communities financially help with the distribution of ideas.”

Along with her long-term aspirations, Campbell would like to implement programs that would help students sooner rather than later, especially with their health. 

For one, an efficient and safe distribution of the vaccine would be one of her first priorities once available to students. 

“With the Ames and Story County community, we are part of an interconnected age where community help is of the most importance to us,” Campbell said. “And so helping with the efficient and equitable distribution of vaccines is incredibly important to us.”

Another initiative would be to help students with their transition from the dorms to off-campus housing. One of the new things students are faced with when they leave their dorms is the absence of their meal plans.

“Between sustainability initiatives, as well as college or affordability, helping students move from dining center meal plans to learning how to cook, meal prep, creating a grocery list . . . all the while reducing food waste and helping create meal plans that are full of rich macro and micronutrients to help combat food insecurity on campus,” Campbell said.

Campbell will speak in the Student Government presidential debate Tuesday where she will face off against her opponent, Anna Olson. 

Access to more information about the Campbell-Decker campaign.