Bridge IU, a new group, is running for IU Student Government’s highest executive positions with hopes of bringing students together.
Juniors Mackenzie North and Mihir Barot will be on the ballot as candidates for president and vice president.
“We want to bridge the gap between all of the different schools on campus and between all students, as well as administration,” North said.
The team is interested in increasing transparency, bringing students together and listening to their voice, North said.
North said their platform focuses on student opportunities, safety and wellbeing, and diversity and inclusion.
Regarding safety and wellbeing, Bridge wants to work to create improved student alerts for incidents that occur on and off campus, working to be more transparent, North said.
To promote diversity and inclusion, Bridge wants to ensure every voice is heard, North said. It wants to get to know what the international students on campus want, really listen to what they want to say and work with individuals, she said.
The student opportunities category includes creating more inclusivity between different schools on campus. This would be done by hosting workshops to help students across schools acquire more skills like resume-building and creating off-campus living workshops teaching students skills like how to work with landlords.
The campaign’s slogan is "Together Include Everyone", North said.
“We want to bring more cohesion, more unity, more oneness,” Barot said.
Running for office this year is Barot’s first exposure to IUSG, but North was a member of the organization’s Congress last year.
Though they don’t have the most experience within IUSG, North said the Bridge candidates are ready to focus on students should they be elected.
“We’re not your traditional candidates, but we’re definitely willing to make a commitment to the students, listen to what they want to say and try to find new and innovative ways to help,” North said.
Student life, identity and connection are fundamental to the team’s goals, North said.
“I’ve come to realize the impact a normal day-to day-interaction can have in your life so I truly want to serve as a voice for the student body,” Barot said.
