Grace Barton
Running for
Class of '25 Representative
she/her/hers
Class of '25
Economics & Political Science
Eagan, MN
Statement of motivation
To me, the power structures that have the ability to make tangible and meaningful change have always felt so distant and detached. It can take weeks, months, or even years, to see real change occur in our stagnant governing bodies. Transparency and reliability are key, but often highly difficult to enforce in the power structures that guide our daily lives. The St. Olaf Senate is different in this sense. As a student-centered organization, change is not only accepted but encouraged. This is what excites me most about the possibility of being elected. Being able to be a direct link between the freshman class and the student senate would allow me to advocate for real issues that are closest to the hearts of brand new Oles and allow for the betterment of our campus as a whole.
What's an initiative you'd like to see on campus?
As a first-year class representative, I would like to implement an initiative called "Oles Go Green," which aims at cutting down on paper use in the academic setting and pivots towards a more technology conducive environment. This initiative would reward organizations and academic departments that decrease their carbon footprint and rely on more eco-friendly alternatives such as email and Google Workspace applications.
What are three words your friends would use to describe you?
Compassionate, Determined, Reliable
Self-indicated experience
One of my proudest leadership experiences was serving as Eagan High School's National Honors Society President for the 2020/2021 school year. As president, I was responsible for organizing and leading 12 full chapter meetings and working alongside other officers to help facilitate volunteer opportunities. I have also served on the Minnesota Executive Board of the Youth Against Sexual Assault Coalition. From this experience, I learned how to conduct outreach on the national scale and work with other youth to promote a safer environment for all (just like I would aim to do if elected as a freshman class representative). The last thing that I would like to highlight is my dedication to change. The past two years, I have been awarded with the United Nations National Community Service Award. This experience has illuminated my efforts of creating change in my home community of Eagan, Minnesota and pivoted my focus to impacting life on the hill.