Loyalist College’s student government team elected for the 2018/2019 year

Scott Rook, third year film and TV production student, won the position of student government president. Photo by Becky McMullen

By Becky McMullen

BELLEVILLE – Loyalist College has a new face taking over the role of student government president, and he’s the first male in the position in five years.

Scott Rook, third year film and TV production student, won the position of student government president after results were announced Wednesday. He has been on student government for the last three years. He started as first year leader, then media and arts leader and finally, president.

“I feel like a kid that started in the mail room and worked my way to the top,” he said.

Rook spent a lot of his time campaigning and did everything from putting up posters around the school to purchasing a Snapchat filter that was available for one hour over universal break last week which helped get his name out more.

Being the first male president in a few years, he said that his gender had nothing to do his win.

“Voters saw my experience, they saw my love for this place and elected me their next student government president,” he said.

Michaela Alguire, first year community and justice studies student, is next year’s vice president.

“I’m really excited to get started. I want to get the students more engaged than they are,” she said.

The routine of universal break is really repetitive, she said. Every week she sees students ignoring the event and paying more attention to their friends or their phone.

“I want to see students participating more in universal break instead of just taking the free food and leaving,” she said.

Shandee Baker-Cruickshank, first year esthetics and spa management student, lost her re-election campaign. She had 49% of the votes.

“You can’t win them all,” she said.

She said that she’s a little disappointed, but she’s still going to do everything she can for student government for the next few weeks before the new leaders take charge.

“I still plan on working with the new business leader for the next little bit and doing everything I can to get him ready for the role,” she said.

The election ran from Monday to Wednesday. There was a 26 per cent turn out this year, with 771 voters counted.

For the next few weeks, the elected students will have a chance to sit in on meetings and talk to the leaders who’s roles they’re taking over. The new leaders will officially be in charge on April 1.