StuCo Presidential Candidate Q&A: Hannah Mackay, Bancroft Hall

Why do you want to be StuCo president?

I want to get stuff done! We go to the best high school in the country, and our student leaders should lead with agendas that bring out the best in our community. Without this ambitious platform that emphasizes actions over words, we run the risk of turning student government into a popularity contest. I am running for StuCo president, because I love Exeter. Exeter is family, and when it comes to family, there is nothing I will not do. My five-point platform focuses on meaningful ways we can improve life on campus, and I remain committed to change you can see, because that’s the change you deserve!

What are the ideal qualities of the StuCo president and why do you think you fulfill these ideals?

The ideal StuCo president challenges the status quo and works tirelessly until a change occurs. This leader listens to and learns from the student body, because, ultimately, student government is only as strong as the students who vote. We need a StuCo president who can engage classmates and set bars to be broken. From my involvement with Girls Varsity Lax, Imani, Precision and Poms, I know I am up to the challenge, and as someone who has studied abroad in Russia, I am even more motivated to make my fourth year at Exeter—my senior year—my best year yet, by giving back to the community which has given me so much. 

What policies do you hope to implement? Why?

My five-point platform focuses on change you can see:

Red Racers: I want to establish a community biking program with Exeter Cycle, so that students can travel more efficiently around campus and into town. I want to model this program after bike-share programs at colleges such as Williams and Cornell. Specifically, students should be able to use their IDs to borrow a bike and return that bike to any depot on campus within a set time-window. My goal this spring is to work closely with administrators on campus to designate locations for bike racks and identify funding for this initiative.

Exeter Entrepreneurship: Mark Zuckerberg is the most famous entrepreneur to have come from Exeter, but we are bound to graduate even more movers-and-shakers in years to come. As for Zuckerberg, most people do not realize that he actually started working on a prototype for Facebook at Exeter, and I hope to work with Principal MacFarlane to establish an annual hack-a-thon and demo day to showcase other students’ ideas for apps or tech. Ideally, we can get Facebook to sponsor an annual conference of peer schools on campus and host leaders from Silicon Valley to lecture and judge these students’ works.

BGG: How do you survive Exeter? If you look to the academy seal, you might say “by the Grace of God.” While I know Russian and not Greek, you do not need a Classics Diploma to know our school’s motto “χαριτι Θεου” should not describe students’ success at navigating the the academic, artistic and athletic resources available on campus. As a result, I want to launch “www.exeter.edu/bgg,” as an online database full of Exeter hacks—written for the students, by the students—accessible to only those with an Exeter email and password. A committee of Student Council would oversee this site, but any student could contribute their own input on a class or club. There are many models to follow at the university level, and in particular, I hope to work with Principal MacFarlane to implement something like Columbia’s CULPA or WikiCU.

Non Sibs: Exeter is family, and I am so thankful to have attended Exeter with two of my siblings on campus during my prep year here. My brothers’ support was a real privilege, and I want to make sure that new students also have the same role models built into their lives here from the very first Harkness Table. Thus, I want to create a committee of Student Council that works with Admissions on a long-term mentorship program for incoming students. We may not all be able to have siblings on campus, but as we are encouraged not to look out for ourselves, everyone deserves a non-sib.   

Exeter Eats: Food is good, but cheap food is better. Student Council should leverage PEA’s role in the community to create student discounts at popular vendors for individuals and groups. Over the course of my campaign, I will announce partnerships that I have struck on behalf of PEA, and I hope to create a range of deals that clubs can use to better spend their budgets. You can have your MacKake and eat it, too!

Do you have any comments about the outgoing administration?

As my campaign focuses on change you can see, I am more concerned with what is happening today. You could say: Tomorrow starts today with MacKay.

What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

I think my passion and the substance of my platform distinguishes me from the other candidates. I am looking to dramatically change StuCo’s role on campus, because I love our school. Whenever I scroll through Exeter’s Facebook I am reminded of how many amazing academics, athletes and artists there are on campus, and whenever I log into my own Facebook, I am reminded of just how global Exeter’s footprint on the world is. I think my gratitude for our Big Red family really defines my candidacy, and I want to show my thanks with an ambitious but practical set of goals that can further support our school.