Galileo Savage is a sophomore majoring in political science.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or major plans for the future?

“I love listening to music and feeling that I can relate to the music, that moment when an artist says something and I’m like ‘That’s exactly how I feel.’ I am president of Hinman College Council, I am a Binghamton University peer mentor, I am [the University’s] first-ever [Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)] student ambassador and I am a member of the nonprofit JMacForFamilies advisory board. I love all my leadership roles as they allow me to advocate and be a voice for the individuals who have a hard time finding their own! I plan on going to law school then possibly going into politics, law or the United Nations.”

2. What is your platform?

“My platform for [Student Association (SA)] president can be summed up by the following five goals: to create a safe space with more easily accessible resources for those in the [Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)] community, to create more culturally diverse options available at the dining hall, to increase school pride, unity and community, to increase mental health resources and to develop unity across campus. As a member of the BIPOC community, I will improve upon the foundation that [BU] already has by introducing additional programs geared toward members of the BIPOC community that share similar interests and struggles. Additionally, I will work closely with and use my connections with those in dining hall services to create safe and ethically acceptable dining hall options to more appropriately reflect [BU]’s students. I will build on the school pride at [BU] by promoting more large-scale events that accommodate the interests of the student body. I will work to increase mental health resources by using my position to push for more professionals who represent the BIPOC community. Furthermore, I will create more events geared to helping our student body deal with the mental stressors that college can bring. Finally, I will work toward building unity across campus, creating spaces where we can truly hone our rich, unique and diverse minds. Ultimately, I want to use my unique point of view and experiences to contribute to making our University a place we can all call home.”

3. Why did you decide to run for an SA E-Board position?

“I am running for the president position because I want to create pivotal change. I want to continue to grow as a leader who can be a trailblazer and show youth who look like myself that anything is possible. I stand here as a legit [SA] presidential candidate, but not far removed from the same Galileo that was excited to get news that he had been added to [BU’s] admissions waitlist. My excitement came from seeing that there is hope, there is a chance for the great change that will last a lifetime. I see the beautiful foundation that is here in the [BU] community, however, the only way to build upon this is for us to come together and welcome change. Yes, this change will not be easy and some goals may take longer than one academic year to accomplish — however, that is where I differ from other candidates. As a sophomore I will have the opportunity to potentially run for two academic years, leaving more time for us to work together and create the change that we want and need to see.”

4. Why should students vote for you?

“Students should vote for me because I am a candidate who thinks about the student body first and truly wants to turn [BU] into a space we can all enjoy and want to call home. I am a candidate who can understand the struggles that many students face because I face them myself, as I am no different, president or not — I am still a student and a member of this community. I am a student who strongly values the pillars that my platform is upheld by: growth, unity, school pride, advocacy, inclusivity [and] cultural appreciation are all things that I have held close to my heart for years. They aren’t just words I am slapping on a poster for a vote. As a member of the 2024 graduating class, the class that came into college virtually during the peak of a pandemic, I can say that the college experience may never look the same and that is OK because change can be a great thing. As we are in this period of change we must select leaders that will listen and promote the change that we all want to see, and I am that leader. So a vote for Galileo Savage is bigger than any one person — it is a vote for a [BU] that we all want to call home.”