Iowa State Student Government election polls open Monday. Eleven of the seats on the ballot are represented by the United Residents Off-Campus (UROC). Eliana Crabb, a senior in hospitality management, is one of 11 candidates running to serve as a senator for the college.

What makes you as an individual qualified for this position in Student Government?

The reason I think I am most qualified for this position is my love and drive for students. I have worked with so many students throughout the years and I have been really enjoying working on projects and initiatives for students. I think I am insanely qualified especially from the Student Government realm of things. If elected as a UROC senator, I will be in my third year in Student Government. Sophomore year I was a human sciences senator and was on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and really enjoyed learning and being a part of Student Government. This year I have switched over to being on Cabinet, I am the current director of outreach for Student Government. Within this role I have work/worked on projects such as the Social Justice Forum, 2021 Women’s Week, Umbrella Project (brining rentable umbrellas on campus), COVID-19 Campus Climate Survey, Mental Health for Athletes, ASL translators at debates, Mental Health campaign, Green Dot campaign, Black History Month social media campaign and also working with Election Commission to promote elections this year. I have also been a STAR (Student Admissions Representative), Multicultural Peer Mentor/Mentee, a member of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality Management and also the Human Sciences Council. 

What are your goals and what do you want to accomplish in your potential position in Student Government?

My goals throughout the year are to work on rebuilding Student Government’s community, as an experienced Student Government member I am hoping to work on building our community through listening to student voices. I am hoping to continue my Mental Health for Athletes project and help create a better council for off-campus students. A way to do that would be putting an emphasis on Ames community involvement. It is my goal to get off-campus students more involved in local politics and make sure that we are supporting small businesses in Ames. 

What needs to change in Student Government? What are some issues you think need to be addressed?

Both Director of Diversity and Inclusion Perk and Senior Director of Communications Olson and I created a statement going against the statement that was posted by President Fritz and Vice President Schrader. We believe that leadership should be inclusive of other student voices and we can do that by bringing diverse clubs and organizations to speak in programs for the Senate. Regarding Cabinet, a lot of our members this year have worked with more inclusive groups on campus so just making sure the student body is aware of some of the projects we’re working on.

How do you hope to represent your constituents?

My goal is to pay attention to bills that focus on off-campus students. This would include construction, renter’s guides and CyRide. I am excited to continue working on my projects.

Why do you think it is crucial the UROC has an equal role in Student Government?

I think UROC is important because it represents a majority of students.