Christopher Firch, finance and accounting junior, and Emelie Schultz, business management and psychology sophomore, came together to run for OU Student Government Association president and vice president hoping to empower OU students.
The foundation of Firch and Schultz’s campaign is FAR: foster the OU family, amplify diversity, equity and inclusion and represent student concerns. With these guiding principles, they said, the pair wants to create an open and transparent environment to bring students together.
Choosing between colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic, Firch considered many different factors while researching potential schools. Ultimately it was the community, Firch said, that brought him to OU
“I didn’t feel like an applicant number. I felt like a name with a face, a story and a purpose here at this university,” Firch said.
He also appreciated the university’s consideration of his mental, physical and financial well-being throughout the application process. As a freshman, OU’s “strong community” comforted Firch, inspiring him to ensure other students have the same experience by running for SGA president.
Firch currently serves as a legislative assistant on the SGA executive cabinet where he assists current SGA president Zack Lissau and vice president Denzel Akuffo with SGA-related projects.
Schultz, an international student from Sweden, was introduced to OU through her participation in United World Colleges, an international network of educational programs that connects students across countries.
Schultz came to the U.S. with hopes of impacting communities outside of the classroom. With her experience as an international student, she hopes to “bridge (gaps) with American communities and other minorities” on campus.
Schultz currently serves as director of inclusivity on the SGA executive cabinet where she focuses on addressing issues concerning marginalized and underrepresented populations on campus.
It’s a large goal of theirs to make SGA more accessible and approachable, Firch and Schultz said.
One way they hope to make OU accessible is by improving and updating the ENGAGE system for students to be more educated on and get involved with student organizations. They are currently considering creating a survey that would curate the top ten best-suited organizations for first-year students. This could help students learn what communities they want to get involved in and hopefully make the transition to college less intimidating, they said.
They also want to improve game-day experiences for students. Now that OU is moving to the Southeastern Conference in 2025, Firch and Schultz said they want to increase school spirit and better student experiences in athletics.
The pair also wants to address food scarcity and mental health issues in the OU community. Firch and Schultz said they are already working in collaboration with OU Food Pantry and Goddard Health Center to make sure students’ needs are met.
“Sometimes walls can be built between SGA and student groups, especially underrepresented groups, and our goal is to really bridge that gap,” Firch said.
Alongside their positions in SGA, Firch and Schultz both serve in leadership roles on other parts of campus. Both Firch and Schultz are in the JCPenney Leadership program. Firch works as a tour guide and a resident advisor, and Schultz is a co-president of The United World organization at OU.
It’s their individual experiences and unique backgrounds that they said will benefit their work as SGA president and vice president.
“One of the questions I’ve gotten a lot is ‘oh, is this a resume builder?’” Schultz said. “There is this misconception that this is a ladder to climb, but neither me nor Chris is really here for the ladder … we’re here because we have this common passion.”
Firch and Schultz’s main priority throughout their campaign is outreach and speaking to the OU community.
“We really are here for (the OU student body) … this is our campaign … We live and breathe for people on this campus,” Schultz said. “If you don’t feel represented in our campaign, we (want) to amplify you in the best way possible.”
Firch and Schultz will face presidential candidate Carson Poupore, an economics, political science and business management junior, and vice presidential candidate Beth Felkner, an economics and letters junior.
Students can cast their votes for SGA President and Vice President using ENGAGE beginning Nov. 1 through Nov. 2.
