Hey everyone. I’m new at this whole journaling/blogging thing, so please have a bit of patience while I get my bearings over the first few posts. I’m not really a technology whiz, and you can confidently expect more than a few HTML mishaps and mistakes. Yet while I’m not usually a proponent of the “practice makes perfect” aphorisms, I think in this situation it actually applies. At least a bit.
Anyways, moving on from the apologetic introit. My name is Marcus Luther, and in case you didn’t know—and I know that most don’t—I’m the new Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound President (we’ll use the term ‘ASUPS’ from this point forward, to avoid arthritis). Don’t worry, though, that this journal/blog will consist entirely of ASUPS propaganda and event notices; that is not the goal. I simply hope to convey what life is like for a student in this position, what my normal day is like, how the ASUPS office works, some of the issues that come across my desk, and how it impacts the rest of my life. If you’re yawning already—well, we’ll get back to that later.
So how does one become ASUPS President, one might ask? Well, since I was twelve years old and watched The West Wing for the first time, I knew that my life goal was to be student body president of my eventual fill-in-the-blank uni
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versity. From that point forward, everything I did was geared towards eventually assuming the seat I now occupy: practicing shaking hands, giving grandiose speeches into the mirrors, making my own business cards with Sharpe markers and construction paper, etc.
Kidding. Though I’m addicted to that show.
Honestly, I came to Puget Sound to play baseball—I had no preconceived, student government ambitions. Actually, until Garner Lanier approached me last semester, I really hadn’t thought much about the position. I have been involved in Residence Life the past two years, am involved in numerous activities, am a member of Phi Delta Theta, etc.—basically, I have a full schedule already and wasn’t looking to take more on.
But being good friends with Dan Miller (the past ASUPS President), I got curious. I started having conversations with all the current Execs, some faculty and administrators, and a lot of my closer friends. The more I learned, the more I started wanting a chance to fulfill this role and make a difference on campus. Thus far, my college experience has been an irreplaceable asset in my life, and I’m infinitely grateful for the opportunity I’ve been afforded—I saw ASUPS as the best way to give back.
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So after getting excited, I worked with Garner to make it happen. This was a long, rigorous phase (despite the lack of opposition, we treated it as if it were a nail-biter election) that included forming a campaign platform, learning more about individual position requirements, speaking to student groups, creating/putting up posters and Facebook groups, and more.
By the way, I hate taking campaign photos. Actually, I hate taking photos in general. Doing a three-hour photo shoot around campus was like having my teeth pulled, then going to the doctor and getting multiple vaccination shots. And seeing those photos around campus over the next month? That was like swallowing a five-pound pill twice-a-day.
I’m not a big self-promotion guy, especially via photos/posters. However, that’s part of the job, especially the election part.
After all that, we were elected. And then inaugurated March 10th. And that is how I got here.
In essence, the process simply consisted of me getting interested, educating myself about the potential opportunity, then spending three months making it happen. I would definitely encourage anyone interested in running to really consider it, and to talk to as many people as possible (including me!) about whether or not it is the right opportunity for you.
Thus far, it has been an incredible experience. And I cannot think of a better way to give back to the school that has already given me so much.