Editor's Note: The Poly sent a questionnaire to every candidate that had filed to run for GM, PU, and UP prior to Spring break. Below are the unedited responses from UP candidate Grace Meehan '28.
1. Why do you want to be Undergraduate President?
My main motivation is wanting to help people. I believe one of the most meaningful ways I can do that on campus is by serving undergraduate students and working to ensure their voices are heard. As Undergraduate President, I have the opportunity to speak with administration about the issues students face and advocate for changes that improve the undergraduate experience.
I want every undergraduate student to feel seen, heard, and supported, and to know about the resources and opportunities available to them. I also hope to help create additional opportunities where they are needed. In addition, I would like to continue building on the initiatives, events, and goals that I have already begun during my current term and ensure that the progress we have made continues moving forward.
2. What makes you qualified to be Undergraduate President?
I currently serve as the Undergraduate President, and before that I was the Class of 2028 Council Secretary, which gave me a strong foundation in how student government operates and how to lead effectively within that structure.
Last semester, I also served as the New Member President of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega (APO). In that role, I led discussions about the events our new member class organized, facilitated meetings, and helped coordinate responsibilities among the cohort. I answered questions and ensured that everyone stayed on track with their individual requirements. I also organized and managed a Discord server for the group and helped lead a cohort of 14 students, supporting them as they took on individual responsibilities and leadership roles.
Currently, I also serve as the Secretary of the Chem-E-Car Club. In that position, I manage our Google Drive, take meeting minutes, and handle external communications with other organizations interested in collaborating with us, such as joint events or fundraisers.
Through these roles, I have developed strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills, as well as experience working with teams and coordinating initiatives across different groups.
3. Name three short-term goals (within your term of office) and three long-term goals (beyond your term of office) that you have for the Undergraduate Council.
Short-term goals:
One short-term goal is to strengthen our event planning and increase the number of successful events we host. There have been some cancellations this year, and I want to help build stronger motivation and structure within the Undergraduate Council so we can consistently plan and execute events for the student body.
Another goal is to build stronger connections between classes. Currently, many events are organized within individual class councils, which can limit opportunities for students from different years to get to know one another. I would like to organize more events that bring all undergraduates together and help foster a broader sense of community across the student body.
My third short-term goal is to support the incoming class councils in becoming confident and comfortable in their roles within student government. Since we help train new councils, I want to ensure they understand how meetings and procedures work, who to contact for support, how to run their councils effectively, and the impact they can have within student government.
Long-term goals:
One long-term goal is to help develop a stronger sense of school identity and pride. I believe there is an opportunity to build a clearer sense of what it means to be an RPI undergraduate and to create traditions and experiences that connect students across different classes.
Another goal is to ensure that the Undergraduate Council and future councils fully utilize the influence we do have. While we do not pass legislation like the Student Senate or finalize budgets like the Executive Board, we are able to meet with administrators, advocate for students, and help address important issues. I want to set a precedent of using those opportunities proactively and encouraging future councils to continue advocating for undergraduate students in meaningful ways.
Finally, I would like to increase awareness of student government and encourage more students to get involved. Improving our communication, social media presence, and marketing of events and opportunities would help more students learn about what we do and feel encouraged to run for positions or participate in student government.
4. In your own words, what do you feel are the roles of the Undergraduate President, the Undergraduate Council, and the Class Councils?
The Undergraduate President’s role is to lead the Undergraduate Council and help guide its initiatives. This includes setting agendas, introducing ideas and projects, and ensuring meetings are productive and aligned with the policies and procedures of student government. The Undergraduate President also works to keep discussions focused and ensure that the council operates effectively.
The Undergraduate Council’s role is to support the undergraduate student body by organizing events and addressing issues that students bring forward. Council members collaborate to plan programs, communicate with administration when concerns arise, and work together to create initiatives that benefit the broader undergraduate community.
Class Councils focus more specifically on their individual class years. They organize events for their class, share important information related to milestones such as the ARCH (now ELF) program or graduation requirements, and address concerns that are particularly relevant to their class cohort.
5. What do you think are the incumbent Undergraduate President’s strengths and weaknesses? What are your strengths and weaknesses that could affect the role? How would you improve upon them if ypu were elected?
As the current Undergraduate President, I believe some of my strengths include strong communication skills, reliability, and a genuine commitment to supporting the students and council members I work with. I have also developed stronger public speaking skills and have worked to be someone others can rely on for support and guidance.
One area I continue to work on is balancing delegation with hands-on leadership. It is important to trust council members with responsibilities while still remaining involved enough to support them and ensure projects stay on track. Moving forward, I plan to improve this balance by checking in more frequently, asking members what support they need, and maintaining clearer expectations.
Another area of growth is strengthening my leadership presence during meetings. While I value being approachable and collaborative, I also want to ensure discussions stay focused and productive. Continuing to develop that balance between will help me lead the council even more effectively.
6. What qualities should a leader have? How are you a leader?
A strong leader should aim to empower and inspire others and help them develop the skills and confidence to lead themselves. In many ways, the goal of leadership is to create an environment where people eventually no longer need constant guidance because they have grown into capable leaders themselves.
I try to approach leadership with that mindset. For example, when working with the freshman class council, my goal has been to help them learn the procedures and responsibilities of student government so that they can eventually run their council confidently and independently.
I also try to lead with compassion, commitment, and trust. I care deeply about helping people and supporting the groups I am part of, and when I commit to something, I follow through. I also believe that building strong relationships is important for effective leadership, which helps me collaborate with other student organizations and communicate with administration.
Overall, I try to be someone who provides a steady foundation for others, while encouraging them to grow, take initiative, and succeed in their own leadership roles.
