In preparation for tomorrow’s Student Council Student Body President and Vice President Elections, The Roundup sat down with the candidates to see what they have in mind for Jesuit and why they believe they should be elected.
Below is an interview with presidential candidate Marco Marrero ’19 and vice presidential candidate Reagan Ernst ’19. Students will choose between them and fellow juniors Matthew Mancillas and Nelson Brown when they vote tomorrow. The questions were based on their original candidate statements, which can be found here.
Question: “Why are you both running, and why are you a good fit for Student Body President and VP?”
Reagan Ernst: “So I think both of us are extremely diverse when it comes to not only our classes but our extracurriculars, and we can reach out to—”
Marco Marrero: “—a lot of different people around the campus. I know Reagan’s involved with the Ignatian Service Corps, so he knows a lot of guys through there. I’m involved with sports, a lot of sports, like baseball and basketball and then also an executive ambassador. So we know a lot of different [people], and we both take AP courses and also regs courses so we know a wide variety of kids around the campus. And so I feel like we can reach a lot of different people and hear a lot of different ideas from different groups around the school.”
Ernst: “I also think we have a lot of good ideas to help improve the school.”
Q: “You did list a lot of ideas, and Marco, one of the ones you listed was the quiet classroom idea. Where do you think that could go in Jesuit? How would that work?”
Marrero: “Well I know every day when I’m walking around the two different hallways that we have, I always see an empty classroom that’s not being used and it’s just locked up. So I think that—I know the faculty might have a list of, they probably have a schedule of, around the school, a room that’s probably not being used. And maybe a faculty, on their break, could be assigned to a specific room that could be kind of a quiet place to study. I know there’s that rule in the Info Commons, but it’s not really enforced. I mean, there’s people talking in there all the time.”
Ernst: “I know they tried to make the Info Commons a quiet zone this year, but I don’t think that’s a good idea because it’s a huge space and a lot of people like to collaborate in here. So, I think it’d be better to switch it to a classroom.”
Q: “And you also talked about [increasing the] interactions between Jesuit and Ursuline. Do you have any specific events planned that you could use to do that?”
Marrero: “I think maybe an elective to kind of have that interaction. I know we have filmmaking or stagecraft, and I know that a lot of Ursuline girls are involved in our plays. So maybe if they could come over and help out with those courses that would be pretty cool.”
Ernst: “And throwing an extra mixer or two because we don’t have—other than homecoming and prom—that may be all of our dances other than freshman year.”
Q: “And Reagan, you listed ideas in your statement as well. How would you make the case to the administration that these are good ideas and try to get them implemented, like expanding where we can eat?”
Ernst: “I think if we could have other administrators back us up, and also have a lot of other kids petition for it. We’re just kind of enclosed to one area, whereas we used to be able to go to Hughes Hall. And I understand not eating elsewhere because of the rats, but if we’re eating outdoors—”
Marrero: “Having the support from other people, like students maybe creating a petition. I think that could help the faculty know that students are really involved and want that change.”
Q: “What other ideas do you all have planned that you want to implement?”
Ernst: “So we had the free dress—”
Marrero: “Yeah, maybe having a free dress day because I know that Ursuline has a lot of different dress days, sometimes they come in PJs, and we don’t have a day like that, except for Ranger Day, but that’s not really a school day.”
Ernst: “Even just like a jean and t-shirt day, just something a little more relaxed.”
Q: “What would you say is the overall goal of your ticket that these things fit under?”
Ernst: “Just allowing for more expression and also making Jesuit overall a better place.”
Marrero: “I think kind of loosening down a little bit, because our school is pretty structured, and I think the ideas like Ursuline, getting more quiet areas, expanding where we can eat, I think that can loosen up…a little more freedom for students.”
Q: “And, in conclusion, what makes your ticket unique?”
Marrero: “Well I think we’re just two guys. Over the years we’ve been getting more and more involved and been getting comfortable with the school, and we know a lot of different people around the school. I think that we can bring a more relaxed environment but also bring a lot more excitement to the school.”
Ernst: “I think our ability to reach out to just every group is what makes us unique because in the past—I think Lindsay and Reid [current president and V.P.] did a great job with that—but our freshman year I really didn’t even know…I don’t even remember who it was. So, I think that we will make an impact with everyone.”
Q: “Anything else?”
Marrero: “Vote Marrero-Ernst!”
