Daniel Rocabado is a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or major plans for the future?
“Hello everyone! My name is Daniel Rocabado and I am a junior [majoring in philosophy, politics and law], [Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)] class of 2023. I’ve been a worker in the Student Association [(SA)] for close to two years now. Before joining the SA, I was a timid student who had a hard time adjusting to this new college environment and being an active member on campus. I started off as a receptionist/minute taker and became very passionate about my line of work. Through my employment, I realized my passion was not just involvement on campus, but the active effort of helping others around me. I saw early on that our clubs and organizations provide an essential service to our student body and my responsibility was to provide them the resources they needed. I joined the [SA] Vice President for Finance’s office as an assistant and continued to build my knowledge to further help our clubs and organizations. Apart from representing our student body through the SA, I am also a student representative for the Intercollegiate Athletics Board and the Program Review Committee. Being a former student-athlete myself, I personally understand the lengths students go to balance their academics and the sports they dedicate themselves to. Finally, during my downtime, I enjoy expanding my knowledge on everyday topics that interest me. I love watching YouTube videos — some of my favorite channels are Vsauce, Kurzgesagt — In a Nutshell and Crash Course. I also love Netflix documentary-dramas like ‘The Social Dilemma’ or ‘Dirty Money.’”
2. What is your platform?
“If elected [executive vice president (EVP)], my priorities would be to emphasize education and mentorship to our newly chartered organizations, provide necessary spaces for our organizations, create real diversity within the SA by expanding the reach of our job/leadership opportunities and making the SA a hospitable and nurturing institution. To start, I want to establish a support system for our newly chartered organizations that provides them with concrete, historical knowledge and mentorship opportunities that will help them transition into their roles. Mentorship positions in the EVP office will build upon current training by giving insight on topics that are not always covered like expansion, e-board elections and collaborations. Additionally, I want to modernize the chartering process so that all parties involved are constantly up to date — the EVP office, Internal Affairs [Committee] and new organizations. Through modernization like an online docket/checklist, historical documents can be saved and passed down to future E-Boards who are also venturing into new territories. For our current organizations, I see the struggles you go through every day to secure spaces for your events. I will fight to get Old Union Hall back — our organizations desperately need it. As COVID-19 becomes more contained, I want to work with the future [vice president for student success (VPSS)] to secure at-home testing kits for our students so they do not have to jeopardize their health or the health of others by coming onto campus. This will reduce the need for such a large testing site and it can be relocated to somewhere more appropriate. Additionally, this includes helping our organizations secure more funding as many have been forced to use an enormous percentage of their budget on off-campus venues. Finally, I will work tirelessly to make the SA and the EVP office more representative of the student body we serve by increasing the reach of job/leadership opportunities and ensuring hospitable and meaningful interactions. No one currently has oversight on how job opportunities, SA congress positions, [Judicial Board] positions, etc. are spread, so these opportunities often become gatekept. All students deserve a right to these opportunities as this is one way our underrepresented communities can have a voice and change the SA fundamentally. Let me be their voice — let me open the doors for our underrepresented communities so the SA can be the institution we all deserve!”
3. Why did you decide to run for an SA E-Board position?
“I decided to run for an SA E-Board position because I was very inspired by my EOP class. Coming into Binghamton [University] through the EOP program was one of my biggest blessings because I met so many like-minded students who came from the same background as me. Being a Latino in a [predominantly white institution (PWI)] can feel very alienating and having this support system of staff and students who know the daily struggles of underrepresented communities has really helped me succeed. I am not the only EOP student who strives to be a leader in their communities and create meaningful change on campus. I have watched my fellow EOP peers move onto huge leadership roles on campus, plan massive events that cater to our [Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC)] students and push for inclusivity within the SA and the University. Their actions continuously inspire me to be the best student leader I can be. I want to aid them in any way possible. I want to assure them that they have an ally at the institutional level. I want to be their voice within the SA. Representation is essential to making the SA more inclusive and I want to spearhead this effort. I want to leave a legacy within the SA that will outlive my tenure there. Please, let me be their voice.”
4. Why should students vote for you?
“I believe students should vote for me because while I am focused on the changes I can create during my time in office, I am even more dedicated to the changes that will forever live on within the SA. I heard a great quote once that stated, ‘What greater ambition can a human being have in life than bringing a real lasting permanent change?’ Since an early age, I have questioned the institutions we live under and what ways I can implement ethical, moral and righteous changes in today’s world. I came to the conclusion that having a solid education is the starting point, and I want to be the most knowledgeable person I can be. Being a first-generation college student has emphasized this idea because my belief is that to properly help our underrepresented communities, we must open the doors to proper education. My goal is to open doors to a proper SA education, job opportunities, leadership positions and committee positions so that the culture I leave behind will last a lifetime. Vote for me, [BU] students. Let me implement the vision I see for our future.”