I'd like to begin this article with a story. I'm from Pittsburgh, and a friend of mine's father is a Dartmouth Alumnus, '72 to be exact. One night I asked, "Mr. Draper, what were things like at Dartmouth when you went to school there?" With great pride, he told me stories about packed athletic stadiums, amazing Winter Carnivals, incredible Green Keys and awe-inspiring Homecomings. When he and his friends weren't at frats, they were out doing other things on campus, things that have long since gone the way of the keg jump. After an hour of listening I said, "Mr. Draper, what made Dartmouth so great? How did you have so much fun? Who made all this happen?" At that point he looked at me with an almost puzzled stare, and after a short pause, he said "The students, of course. Who else would it be? The administration? The alumni? The residents of Hanover? No, it was the students."
At that point I realized something: the administration has always been at odds with the student body and, believe it or not, Dartmouth has always been in the middle of nowhere. But these factors never held the students of old back. I asked myself how the students of old were able to accomplish so much. The answer was simple: back then the students knew how to unite. They would always come together and when Dartmouth needed them, they would always answer the call!
I see that same spirit present in today's students. When our swim team needed us we united and we answered the call. When many of us go home, we talk about how wonderful Dartmouth is and the great pride that we have in our College is easily apparent to everyone that we speak with.
As student body vice president, I would like to try and harness that pride and aid in a unification that is long overdue. I want to help unite the student body by ensuring that every group not only has a seat on Assembly, but also wants to come to assembly because they know that the Assembly will not be afraid to take a stance on their issues. I want to try and help our student athletes once again dominate the Ivy League by filling our stadiums and showing our hardworking student athletes the support they deserve. I want our alternative social options to improve. I want this campus to be packed with performers and the students to know when those performers are coming. I want the Student Assembly to finally offer help to the Greek Houses in their various struggles. I want Mr. Draper to come back to Dartmouth for Winter Carnival and say "My God. I wish I went to school here now. If only I could be an '06 or an '07." This is our quest, this is our calling. And we can achieve it, if we unite, if we answer the call!
