Gavin Kerians & Valarie Russell

Biographies
Gavin Keirans is a Penn State sophomore majoring in Business Management with plans to attend law school. Before attending Penn State, he was an active leader and philanthropist at St. Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia. Gavin has been one of the most active leaders at Penn State. Last year as a freshman, Gavin finished first runner up for UPUA President with 1,347 votes, losing by less than 2 percent of the vote. This year he is best known for serving as the Executive Director of Safeguard Old State, the leading advocacy group on campus. Further he hosts his own radio show on The Lion 90.7fm, serves on the Business Student Council, acts as the Smeal Delegate to UPUA as well as working a job as the Ambassador for EA Games to Penn State. It is his greatest hope that he will able to lead students to empower themselves like never before. He believes that certain structural changes are needed within the current system of student governance. However more than anything, he believes that there needs to be a change beyond just where the administration has control. Gavin believes that a sense of tradition and pride needs to be restored to this campus.

Valarie Russell has spent the past three years here at University Park serving as a leader in student advocacy as is evident by her membership in Lion Ambassadors. She has held various positions in the UPUA, University Faculty Senate, Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education, and the Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council. She has worked tirelessly to represent students’ rights, responsibilities, and concerns. Having been an active member in the former Undergraduate Student Government, she has always been whole-heartedly committed to continuing progressive strides for all of the Penn State student family. Never neglecting to lend her support to other noble causes, Valarie has participated in THON, tutored adult learners, worked as a teaching assistant for an environmental sustainability course, helped with Coastal Clean-up Initiatives, and interned for the European Union while studying abroad last year. Her close friends and family describe her as open-minded, honest, bold, poised, caring, and enthusiastic. Hailing all the way from San Diego, California, Valarie has come across the country to be a part of this amazing university and admits that she can see herself nowhere else but Penn State— the place where there are students and traditions that she respects, honors, serves, and loves.


Platform
Gavin Keirans and Valarie Russell are the most experienced dedicated and passionate Presidential ticket. Both are involved in a plethora of organizations at Penn State, and their involvement expands beyond any ticket in recent memory. While other candidates may throw out big ideas, only Gavin Keirans and Valarie Russell have the tools and know how to make them a reality.

  • Student Government Reform
    • Abolish all Advisory Boards including the Student Fee Activity Fee Board and the HUB Advisory Board. Replace them with student led committees under UPUA from all elected organizations.
    • Restore a Strong Executive Cabinet, with members representing all facets of Penn State life. This includes Greeks, LGBTQA members, Minorities, and Diverse Thinkers.
    • Integrate the Student Programming Association into the UPUA as the Programming Committee. This will be a two year process which will lead to SPA being democratically elected similar to UPAC.
    • Replace the Cabinet of Student Leaders with a Committee of the UPUA made up of Student Leaders brought together for collaborating purposes.
    • Monthly meetings between all Presidents of the Student Councils and UPUA Academic Affairs.
  • Student Outreach
    • Bring back Legal Services so that Students have a professional legal adviser to consult when in need. Penn State had a legal adviser just a few years ago, and this is imperative to ensuring student rights.
    • Turn the Corner Pocket into a Concert hall/Sports Lounge. This massive space will effectively be a renaissance for Late Night Penn State and serve as basically a downtown establishment without the alcohol.
    • Create a Student-Landlord Dispute Center by working with Liz Goreham and the borough council. Goreham campaigned on this issue in 1999 and recently talked about making this a reality again so UPUA will work to make this a reality as well.
    • Daily Video Minutes and Blogs updating the student body on what is going on. Also use PSU Live as an official avenue for the UPUA.
    • Work with CATA for later buses. If this fails, work to reform 865-WALK or Safe Ride to create alternative options for students.
    • Implement a Voter Registration Challenge between All Big Ten Schools and make that a goal of the ABTS conference.
    • Attend Rainbow Roundtable to ensure LGBTQA voices are heard.
    • Attend International Student Council and Multicultural Greek Council meetings.
    • Implement a Create-A-Class where students vote on a new class.
  • Administrative Advancement
    • Voting Seats on the Board of Trustees for the CCSG, GSA and UPUA Presidents. All three already sit at the meetings, yet have no vote.
    • Monthly Open Forums with UPUA and Student Affairs open to all students to ask questions and state issues that they may have.
    • Work to implement the Tuition Challenge Grant as a means of accountability for Tuition.
    • Assign Chiefs of Staff to meet with the Student Affairs Hierarchy weekly.
    • Vice President Valarie Russell meets with Center for Student Engagement weekly in order to ensure a strong working relationship.


Involvement
Gavin Keirans: Executive Director of Safeguard Old State, UPUA Smeal Delegate, Radio Host on the Lion 90.7fm, Business Student Council Events Committee, Team Leader Spring Up, Student Collaboration Task Force member, Blogger on SafeguardOldState.org, EA Games Ambassador to Penn State, Panelist on Radio Free Penn State, Board of Trustees Applicant

Valarie Russell: Lion Ambassador, Faculty Senator, UPUA Off Campus Representative, Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education, Executive Member of Liberal Arts Student Council, THON


Endorsements

  • Candidate Mutual Endorsements
    • Richard Shermanski
    • Samantha Miller
    • Matthew Smith
    • Michael Anderson
    • Ralph Crivello
    • Steve Lucas
    • Sam Loewner
    • Hillary Gupta
    • Carolyn Saveri
    • Joseph Buyer
    • Michael Aldinger
    • Chris Morell
    • Jim Byrne
    • Michael Wallace
    • John King
    • Megan Quinn
    • Nick Mance
    • Austin Iorio
    • Nick Heim
    • Kaitlyn Kunkle
  • RSO Endorsements
    • The Lion 90.7
    • Delta Zeta
    • Safeguard Old State
    • Penn State Rifle Club
    • Delta Sigma Phi
    • Essence of Joy Choir
    • Liberal Arts Undergraduate Council
    • Delta Gamma
    • United Students Against Sweatshops
    • Student Labor Action Project
    • Newmann Catholic Association