The Student Association presidential candidate Boris Gresely found his inspiration to be a leader from a few unlikely sources.

“Superman and Batman definitely inspire me when it comes to wanting to do good and when it comes to leading an organization and leading the people,” Gresely said. “That’s what it really is for me is leading the people in the right direction.”

Gresely, who said he has a large DC Comics collection that nobody is allowed to touch without his permission, sees his leadership style as including qualities of the two famous superheroes.

“Batman is a little more reserved but he’s a great leader,” he said. “Why I like Superman is because he motivates people. You can tell people the direction you want to take them, but it takes motivation to get them to follow you.” 

A junior political science and policy studies major, Gresely is running with the overarching slogan, “Alliance for Change.” He said SA needs to revamp the way it works. And while some students think of reform as a bad thing, Gresely said he believes it’s normal, adding that SA should be a resource that lobbies for student interests.

Gresely also added it was important to lay the proper foundation to promote change, which will help SA succeed in the long run.

One specific way Gresely wants to reform SA is to propose direct representation where assembly representatives would be responsible for building a relationship with a certain group of constituents in their home college. He said direct representation would make SA more accountable to the students.

While the other presidential candidates have focused on the topic of diversity and self-segregation, Gresely said his background has given him ideas of how to address the problem.

He is originally from West New York, N.J., a town Gresely said is very diverse. He identifies as Latino, with an Argentinian mother and an Ecuadorian father.

He said his campaign slogan ties back to creating reform in SA and on campus.

“I’ve been exposed to a lot of different things, and what I’ve learned is to emphasize the one thing we all have in common, that we’re SU students,” he said. “You bring everyone together, it creates an alliance, and that’s how you promote change is by having everyone on the same page.”

Gresely’s running mate is Daniela Lopez, a junior political science, policy studies and Spanish major. Lopez said Gresely’s experience sets him apart from other candidates.

Students elected Gresely to become president of the Residence Hall Association last year after he was already an SA assembly representative under Neal Casey and Dylan Lustig’s administrations.

But Gresely’s decision to run for SA president was made much earlier, said his campaign manager Danielle Shields.

Shields, a sophomore marketing and advertising major, said she began working with Gresely on campaign ideas near the end of April. She said Gresely spent the summer putting together all of his ideas for what he wanted to do for SA, and has continued to be very focused on the campaign.

“I don’t think Boris gets much sleep,” Shields said. “He wants to know he’s done everything he possibly could during the campaign. I know he’s so passionate and really wants to change things.”

This is not the first presidential campaign Gresely has been a part of. He worked as the campaign manager for Iggy Nava, who ran for SA president last fall.

Nava said he met Gresely during RHA meetings. Nava, a former columnist for The Daily Orange, said his own decision to run for president last year was spontaneous, but that Gresely helped keep everything on track.

“We started really late and he brought the organization aspect,” Nava said. “He also brought dedication. He knows how to fire people up.”

Regardless of the outcome of the election, Gresely said he still plans on being an active member of the SU community, whether it’s in SA or other organizations.

Said Gresely: “Once you put that sort of hat on as a student leader that you want to promote change and help out, you find ways.”

Published on November 7, 2013 at 2:21 am

Contact Brett: blsamuel@syr.edu | @Brett_Samuels27