Inside look at the voices of SDSU

Hannah Baker

Hannah BakerNews Editor

While leading the Students’ Association is a main priority for seniors Brett Monson and Erin Kennedy, SA president and vice president, there are many other aspects that make up the lives of these two young leaders.

Monson, an agriculture education major from Webster, has many other activities that he actively participates in on campus. He is a part of Navigators, the Pride of the Dakotas and the SDSU Concert Choir, among other things. Politics are not his only hobby, either. He enjoys running, coffee outings with friends, listening to music and singing.

John Daniel, a junior pharmacy major from Chester, is one of Monson’s good friends. He described Monson as determined and someone who is always smiling.

“He’s not afraid to try new things, and he’s always trying to do more,” Daniel said. “Being friends with him has allowed me to do things that I never thought I’d ever do.”

Kennedy, an advertising major from Beresford, also has a very broad scope when it comes to activities and hobbies.

She is involved with the Ceres Women’s Fraternity, the Unified Greek Council and the Ad Club. She enjoys reading, watching movies and hanging out with friends. Her favorite hobby by far is scrapbooking because it incorporates another passion of hers: photography.

One of Kennedy’s best friends, Marissa Granstra, a junior nursing major from Winbom, Minn., said she can always count on Kennedy.

“I don’t know what I would do without her,” Granstra said. “She’s a really awesome person and I can always count on her to be there even if it’s for a shoulder to cry on.”

When asked how Monson and Kennedy decided to run for SA, Kennedy describes the process as a whirlwind where they had to “go, go, go.”

“It was like a three-week haze,” Kennedy said. “People were encouraging me to run, so at the last minute I thought I’d take a chance. I called up Brett and asked him if he was interested, and when he agreed we just ran with it from there.”

They decided to run on a platform of three main topics: student communication, student community and student wellness. However, Monson said they are not limited to these three categories alone.

“As we continue to dive into the realm of the Senate we plan to tackle events and issues as they come,” Monson said. “Two things we are working on and discussing now are the Opportunity Scholarship and Phase II of the Performing Arts (Center).”

After graduation, Monson and Kennedy see themselves going in different directions. Monson plans on joining the Peace Corps and teaching for two years, while Kennedy plans to be in public relations, but is open to letting the wind take her wherever it pleases.