SGA holds presidential debate: Students hear about candidates’ plans and policies

Liberty University’s annual Student Government Association (SGA) election for the 2024-2025 school year officially kicked off March 22 with a debate between the two candidate teams running for office.

The first candidate team, Isaac Kantola and Abbye Morgan, will run for president and vice president against the second candidate team, Silas Pearson and Adam Diehl, respectively.

Current SGA leadership Chief Justice Caleb Webb, President Daniel Hostetter and Vice President Braden Daniels moderated the debate, which consisted of three rounds of questions.

The event began with each candidate team giving a three-minute opening statement about their campaign.

Kantola and Morgan used their opening statement to describe their reasons for running for office and how their past experiences as SGA members have aided them for their potential future positions.

“Both (Morgan) and I know that the reasons for running should never be running to be someone,” Kantola said. “We run to do something.”

Pearson and Diehl also spent their opening statements discussing why they decided to run for office.

“This opportunity to run is truly coming from a heart of service,” Diehl said. “I want to represent you guys in the best way possible.”

The event then moved to the first question round, which focused on general topics, such as the candidates’ past experiences in SGA, their plans for future campus safety and their comprehensive vision for the future of SGA. 

Both teams mentioned plans for adding more blue light boxes to campus, specifically near South Tower, as well as increasing access to mental health care through the CAPS department on campus.

“Safety is something that is never completely fulfilled,” Pearson said. “It’s something we’re both very committed to.”

The next round of questions focused on policy points that each campaign has focused on.

Pearson and Diehl spoke about their plans to help bridge the existing gap between administration and students.

“We want to be able to establish a better communication with the administration,” Pearson said. “We’re not only wanting to voice the concerns of students to the administration, but to make it a two-way street.”

An audience-focused question and answer session finished out the night with attendees submitting questions throughout the event via a QR code on the screens.

For more information on Liberty’s Student Government Association, visit their website.

Smith is the news editor for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X