Over the past year, it has been a remarkable honor to serve the Northwestern student body as ASG president and executive vice president. Our experience has been engaging, rewarding, jarring, occasionally excruciating and always unpredictable. But more than anything else, one facet of our role has stood out. When we ran for office one year ago, we asked students to express themselves. Northwestern responded emphatically and the stories told by our peers were inspiring — they elicited emotion in a way that facts and figures never could.
The stories told by our fellow Wildcats immersed us in excitement and engaged us on a deeper level. Stories are what bind us. Stories are what motivate us. Stories bring people together, united in common emotion. And, therefore, the people who can harness the power of stories are able to inspire, unite and motivate. The people who can harness the power of stories are able to lead.
Anna Kottenstette has an amazing story to tell. As a transfer student, Anna has bled purple since the moment she arrived on campus. She has engaged on a deeply personal level with the NU community and committed countless hours to improving our home. She has been an invaluable member of our ASG team over the past year, establishing relationships with administrators and fighting for tangible improvements in our residence halls. Moreover, she has been a student advocate representing ASG to our athletic department and has sat on numerous university-wide committees.
But more important than Anna’s personal story is her commitment to hearing your story. On April 19, you will have the opportunity to vote for the students who will represent your voice for the next year. Over the course of our time at NU, thousands of words have been written debating the effectiveness of ASG. Thousands of conversations have taken place bemoaning students’ inability to have their voice heard by the NU administration. Nothing can be accomplished, and nothing will ever change, unless you stand up and speak out.
Each opportunity — each interaction — causes a ripple. It is not possible to experience a place without leaving a mark. Your NU experience is active, dynamic, and hopefully, impactful. If we want to leave NU a better place than it was when we got here, we must shift the way we think about our experience. We must be the change we seek. This shift starts on April 19. Vote for Anna for student life vice president because she wants to hear your story and she wants to help you achieve your vision for Northwestern. Vote for Anna because your experience matters.
Sincerely,
Victor Shao Brad Stewart
ASG President ASG Executive Vice President
Editor’s note: Anna Kottenstette is a Daily sports reporter.
