(Photo: Courtesy of John Paul Casillas and Nick Stofa)
Since the age of five, John Paul Casillas and Nick Stofa have been best friends. They have spent the past sixteen years developing a strong relationship long-rooted in teamwork. Between them is a far-reaching, cohesive chemistry that most political duos would kill (or at least embezzle) to have.
Casillas and Stofa are running for the highest office students can hold on Regis’ campus: President and Vice President. The President is in charge of student funding, it’s allocation, and meeting with all the branches of RUSGA. The Vice President runs and manages the Student Senate. Both are in a position to effect campus wide change. So why vote for them?
The President and Vice President bridge the gap between the students, the faculty, and the administration. They ensure that the students’ needs are heard by authority figures. Stofa says, “Our biggest goal is to make sure we keep listening to what students want and trying our best to implement them - hammocking posts anyone?”
The pair is backed by years of experience on either side. Collectively, they have been RAs, TAs, Orientation Leaders, Ranger Week committee members, presidents of some clubs, and founders of others. Both have worked in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Excellence and have a history of student government experience behind them.
Casillas, running for President, is a first-generation, bilingual college student and an officer in Res Judicata. Stofa is President of Res Judicata. Together, they also founded the Young Democrats chapter at Regis.
The platform of these “Rangers For Change” includes bridging the gap between traditional and commuter students and returning to high school-spirit, by coordinating events like tailgates, pep rallies, and more activities on campus. John wants to streamline Senate, as he has “heard that students feel that it is currently a bit arduous and perhaps outdated”, but still believes it functions as an “extremely important apparatus of the student body.”
The largest focus of the two is student representation. “Our biggest job,” says Stofa, “will be making sure that we are accountable and receptive to student needs, whether it be a first year student on campus or a second semester commuting senior.”
Students voting for Nick and John appreciate this campaign goal. Students voting for Casillas and Stofa commented, “Nick actually knows the first-year students, and I feel like he will take our voice into consideration when other upperclassmen will not.”
In his campaign profile, Casillas writes, “I believe that my passion for this institution combined with that of my best friend and running mate Nick Stofa’s, makes us an unstoppable team.”
Marirose Bernal Staff Reporter