The Griffon News

 Student governor Harold Calloway  selected the three potential successors as his two year term came to a close. Governor Matt Blunt is responsible for making the official appointment after a lengthy selection process. Calloway hopes to have a new student governor by the next Board of Governor’s meeting Feb. 28.

 Calloway said that he looked for applicants who were especially focused on students and were engaged with issues on campus. “They also need to have writing capabilities and think on their feet pretty well; I looked for people who stood out in high school,” Calloway said. The chief objective is to make sure the seven citizen board members are aware of student issues and attend all the board meetings. Student Governor is a public position. The governor is an advocate in the community, attends community service events and lots of dinners. “Being well rounded is key,” Calloway said. 

 One of the finalists, freshman Megan Stahl, from DeKalb, MO says that she became interested in the position after she received an e-mail from a friend’s mother who works in the president’s office. “She told me to look into it,” Stahl said. On campus she works in the Student Service Office, where she is involved in registration. Stahl was active in her student council on high school, where she served as treasurer. Stahl also played basketball, softball, and ran track. 

Sophomore Dillon Harp also became interested in becomingStudent Governor after receiving an e-mail about the qualifications. He thinks he would like the job because it would allow him the opportunity to see the college campus from different perspectives, both as a student and as a board member. “Basically, I didn’t feel I was involved enough on campus, “Harp said. On campus Harp is a member of the Young Republicans and has just been appointed a position on the Legislative Affairs Committee. In high school Harp participated in Future Business Leaders of America, was inducted into the National Honor Society, served on the Senior executive committee, and was the co-captain of his football team. He is from Chillicothe, Mo.

The third finalist, Joshua Todd, is a freshman from Kansas City, Mo. Todd is presently a SGA senator hoping to get more involved on campus. Todd says that he’s always been interested in politics and even worked as in intern for congressman Sam Graves while in high school. He was also involved in DECA and ranked nationally in Forensics and Debate. “I really hope to be able to communicate with the Board of Governors and listen to the students,” Todd said.

The requirements for Student Governor aren’t particularly stringent. Students must simply be a Missouri resident, be involved on campus, have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0, and have no existing felony charges. The process to select a new Student Governor, however, is far more rigid:

From the pool of candidates, the outgoing Student Governor selects three. The three applicants are reviewed by the Board of Governors where one is selected. The candidate travels to Jefferson City where he or she is confirmed by the state senate. After this, the candidate is appointed by the governor, (called a gubernatorial appointment, by the way.) And finally, the appointee is sworn in by a judge.

About his potential successors, Calloway said, “They’ll all do well, they’ll interview well, and hopefully, it will be a difficult decision for the governor.”