Three Candidate Race for Student Delegate
Towards the end of each semester, the Thelomathesian society conducts elections to fill the positions of outgoing executive-board members. This spring, Thelmo is holding an election to succeed the outgoing Student Delegate to the Board of Trustees (Student Delegate), currently senior Aaron Levy ’23.
In a March 29 email to the student body, Levy described the position as a “great opportunity to develop leadership skills, learn how the university functions, and voice the student body’s needs to the University’s Board Members.”
While this election may only decide who fills one of the six e-board seats, current members still advocate for the importance of this election. Thelmo President Dean Brooker ’25 proclaimed that he would heavily encourage voting, “This is the student’s opportunity to pick their candidate.” Vice President of Senate Affairs Dexter Seeley ’25 echoed this sentiment, asking students to “please vote.”
Three candidates are running for the position, them being Josephine Lambert ’26, Ileana Knight ’24, and Allee Mack ’24. All three candidates have prior experience within Thelmo. Last Tuesday, April 4, Thelmo held a debate for students to hear directly from the candidates about their intentions for running. The debate was moderated by the Chair of the Thelmo Elections Committee, Henry Worden ’25.
Mack and Lambert were at the debate in person while Knight was absent due to her studying abroad. Her opening statement and responses were read aloud by Worden.
Lambert is a first-year student who is an alumnus of the United World College (UWC) and current International Affairs Committee Chair. In her opening statement, she vouched for the power of higher education while promising to “amplify the voices of the student body by prioritizing diversity and inclusion by advocating for and listening to all.”
Knight is a Junior who has previously served as the president of the Association for Campus Entertainment (ACE). Her opening statement emphasizes that “If [we] want to make a difference, [we] have to get outside of our comfort zone,” which she later recognized as a key way to “bridge the gap between [the] students and the board of trustees.”
Mack is also a Junior who serves as Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee and as Secretary of the Advocates. She spoke on the importance of student concerns, particularly on the allocation of funds, offering that creativity can lead to potential solutions.
Candidates were then asked a series of questions relevant to St. Lawrence University students. Worden asked the present candidates about how they would bridge the gap between SLU students and the board of trustees. Mack proposed that Thelmo should bring back the organization’s newsletter to promote transparency, something her and Secretary Nina Spinney ’25 had reportedly been working on. Lambert also emphasized transparency, however, recommends that students having direct access to meeting discussions and minutes may solve the issue. Knight, while being unable to directly respond, also saw transparency as a key issue, once again citing the necessity of discomfort when pushing for change.
The Hill News (THN) was given a chance to ask a question at the debate’s conclusion. Zach Jaworski ’25 of THN asked the candidates, “As the student delegate to the board of trustees, surely you would be placed in uncomfortable situations with powerful alumni. Do you worry that being brutally honest with this group may sever networking opportunities, and are you willing to make that sacrifice?”
To ensure fairness, we also reached out to Knight via email, giving her the chance to comment as well. Knight responded, saying “I did not apply to be the student delegate to the board of trustees for networking. I applied to this position because I know students are unhappy with how the university is functioning.” Mack declared, “My role [would be] to make SLU a better place. Severing ties to do that shouldn’t be a concern. I’m not afraid of [it]. If anything, they should respect that proactive attitude.” Lambert argued that applying for the position implies that she is not worried, adding, “I will not hold my voice back. I am willing to make that sacrifice,” finally emphasizing that “it is required.”
Students interested in voting in this election should stay tuned to their inboxes for the ballot. They will have the option to choose one of the three candidates. As members of Thelmo previously stated, this is an opportunity for students to elect a candidate of their choice, and participation in the election process is highly encouraged.