Morgan Eaton and David Williams announced their candidacy for president and vice president of Syracuse University’s Student Association on Thursday.

Eaton, a sophomore policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement major, serves on SA’s Community Relations committee. Williams, a sophomore policy studies major, is currently unaffiliated with the organization.

As president and vice president, Eaton and Williams would seek to promote campus wellness through far-reaching, comprehensive and student-led initiatives, the two said in a statement.

“We joined this race because we want students to feel confident when calling Syracuse University their home,” they said in the statement. “Our vision is to foster an uplifting campus environment, where all students have a sense of belonging and safety.”

Eaton and Williams are the second candidates to declare their candidacy for SA president and vice president. Justine Hastings and Ryan Golden announced their campaign Feb. 17.

Health and wellness, student life, and transparency are the focus of Eaton and William’s campaign. The duo will seek to collaborate with the student body as they begin campaigning, they said.

“We aim to create collaborative spaces where diversity and inclusivity are prioritized in order to accomplish mutual goals and achieve meaningful success,” they said in the statement.

The pair expressed support for the demands of #NotAgainSU, a movement led by Black students, as well as the recommendations of international, Jewish and indigenous students. Hastings and Golden have also said they support the demands of these student groups.

Eaton and Williams will officially announce their campaign Saturday at the Syracuse NAACP’s Annual Lupus & Sickle Cell Banquet.

Eaton is also the president of Groovestand Acapella and is an intern at the Onondaga County Department of Health, where he works with refugee populations to promote mental health and mitigate substance abuse.

Williams serves as the Community Service Co-Chair for the JUMP youth-mentorship program, and is a member of the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ Men of Color Initiative.

Both Eaton and Williams serve on the Executive Board of the first-year leadership empowerment organization OrangeSeeds.

Published on February 28, 2020 at 10:56 am

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu