If elected, it won’t be difficult for Ashley Willems-Phaneuf to step into Student Body President Maggie Guzman’s shoes; during an interview with The Free Press, she was already wearing them.
Willems-Phaneuf, a student senator, said she feels like she’s “been in training” to become student body president all year. She helped with current outgoing Student Body President Maggie Guzman’s campaign last year. She said she’s been attending Board of Trustee meetings and has been active in the restructuring process.
“I don’t know anybody who wants to be in this leadership position more than I do. I think I can really make a difference,” said Willems-Phaneuf.
Willems-Phaneuf is also running for an at-large student senate seat.
“I’m going to spend more time getting people aware and involved on campus,” she said. “I want student groups to be overflowing.” Willems-Phaneuf said she wants to work on making student government more visable and thinks the senators should be “everywhere” if students need help with anything.
She said she also wants to increase students’ political awareness and knowledge outside of USM. “People aren’t really aware and active in their community,” said Willems-Phaneuf. She said she wants to bring political candidates, special interest groups and leaders of political parties to speak at USM and has already been in contact with some politicians.
She is also the communication director of Ben Chipman’s Maine House of Representatives campaign.
Willems-Phaneuf said her role in the restructuring is to continue Guzman’s effort to inform students and make sure they “have a loud voice in the administration’s ear.”
Willems-Phaneuf said she’s glad Charles Silsby decided to run for student body president, even though her previous experience gives her a leg up on him. “There’s 1,000 students. For there to be only one person stepping up for student body president is a shame,” she said.
“I feel it would be really hard for a student not involved on campus and in the student senate to go to the best outlets for issues,” said Willems-Phaneuf. “Charles would be starting from scratch.” She said she doesn’t think he knows how much work there is to be student body president.
Willems-Phaneuf already has ideas she wants to move forward with. She has contacted Back Bay Bicycle in Portland to possibly organize a bicycle renting system. She would also like to improve advising. She said she wants to have an adviser fair to give a chance for all students to come and meet with their adviser before picking classes.
Willems-Phaneuf said she wants to maintain and improve the prestige of the school for graduates and have majors that Maine can use. “I want USM to have a name in Maine,” she said.