In a presidential election where leadership experience is at a premium, Weinberg junior Mark Crain trades on an excess of it. As president of For Members Only, Crain leads one of the most prominent student groups on campus. He has participated in a push to increase minority student enrollment, served on the Student Activities Finance Board and completed a brief stint in the Peace Project.
Crain’s involvement in a varied slate of activities has given him abilities and connections beyond those of the other presidential candidates, he said.
“I know that I have some proven effective methods that I’m bringing to the table,” Crain said. “I can lean on experience and relationships that I’ve been able to cultivate that I don’t know I can say about my competitors.”
Despite his other responsibilities, Crain said he knows Associated Student Government, citing his experience debating items in front of the Senate.
“Oddly enough, I go to Senate all the time,” he said. “I’ve heavily debated a few bills on the floor this year and got a few things passed in supplementary funding.”
Crain said he thinks he would be best qualified to face ASG’s problems because they are similar to the issues he faced as FMO president. One mandate both groups share, Crain said, is to ensure students see the groups as an organization of groups, rather than just one of many.
“It’s the same with ASG,” Crain said. “People see it as this kind of Wednesday night student group versus the alliance of all student groups and the centralized power that it is. I think that’s a problem.”
Crain’s primary focus to broaden the appeal of ASG is a prudent approach, said Max Fletcher, one of Crain’s campaign managers.
“He takes great care not to build up false expectations,” the SESP junior said. “He’s not going around promising that he’s going to install a Starbucks in every dorm.”
Meanwhile, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brother Jason Okonofua said he knows Crain as a friend and not just for his abilities in multitasking.
“He has a way of going the extra mile,” the Weinberg senior said.
– Michael Gsovski
