Why did you decide to run?

“I honestly wasn’t planning on it. I decided to join the finance committee for Student Government. That was always a regret of mine that I never did Student Government in high school or middle school, so I decided to be a part of it this year. I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about running for senator. I didn’t know if I had the time or if I was even qualified for that position. Mason, the current finance director reached out to me and said he thought I could contribute for the senatorial meetings. So I got in to contact with the current IFC senator and had about an hour-long conversation with him. Throughout that conversation, I really understood what it means to be IFC senator, what it means to represent the IFC community, and that it is something that I think I could do a great job at doing.”

Do you have any actionable items you would like to initiate if elected?

“I went to Club Fest, and I had an interaction with one of the people tabling for Student Government. It wasn’t positive. The guy was on his phone. I was asking questions and he told me just to go to the website. He seemed put out by me trying to find out what Student Government is all about at Iowa State, and so I think that is really bad. I think our job as a Student Government is to get as many students involved as possible as we can. That comes through good tabling events, and it also comes through more interaction with student organizations on campus. So being part of the Finance Committee that is really when most clubs and organizations interact with Student Government, and I think that has to change. I think there potentially needs to be a new committee that will go around and hear about what students have to say and be able to make actual changes in Student Government.”

How do you plan to represent your constituents and engage them with Student Government?

Hursh said when he told his friends he was running for Student Government, they all responded they didn’t know there was a student senate on campus. 

“So one of the things that happens for new members is they go to a new member symposium, talks about sexual assault and expectations when you are in a fraternity at Iowa State. They never talk about running and they never talk about representing the IFC in Student Government. I think that is something that needs to change. I would like there to be more conversations within chapters. I think the IFC senator could go from chapter to chapter giving talks about what they do and how beneficial it is to the student body as a whole and the community.”

Why do you think it is important that IFC has a voice within the Student Government body?

“It is relatively large, and I think fraternities get a bad rap. That is part of the reason I am running. I think there needs to be a voice and a lot more positive representation for fraternities. They do unbelievable things…I want to make sure all those people have a voice in Student Government, and I am advocating on their behalf. That is a really big deal for me and the reason I am running.”