Following the FUSA presidential primary, Jeff Seiser ’10 had to reconsider his campaign philosophy. Seiser had won more votes than Thibodeau in every class, except for his own – the class he had served with dedication for the past two years as class president.
Seiser did what he does best: work hard. He did everything in his power to make sure that the supporters he knew he had in his class would come out and vote for him – and they did. This time he won all four classes, including his own by 11 votes.
“I definitely got out more this time,” said Seiser, who went door-to-door campaigning during the days leading up to the election, handing out Hershey’s chocolate bars. He added to that by getting more of his friends from the sophomore class to the polls. Seiser was thus able to turn around the deficit he faced in his own class.
It is the dedication that Seiser showed in going door-to-door and spending the entire day in the Barone Campus Center campaigning that brought the voters to the polls to cast their votes for him.
Seiser said he may not have the same personality as Hutch Williams ’08, but few do.
He stated it best himself: “I am a leader, a hard worker and someone that gets things done. And I feel that is what Fairfield needs.”
When Seiser came to Fairfield, he said he could see himself eventually seeking the FUSA presidency, but decided early on that he would only seek the position if he felt he was ready for it. After deliberating over whether to oppose classmate Spencer Thibodeau ’10, he came to the decision to do so only an hour and a half before the deadline to declare candidacy.
Seiser’s experience in the student political realm dates back to his high school days, when he served as the president of the National Honors Society and as a member of the student council. His leadership skills were enhanced in high school as a member of the boy scouts, where he reached the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.
“Through scouting I learned to be a leader, and to lead others to meet a mutual goal. I learned how to delegate responsibilities and hold people accountable,” said Seiser. “I feel these skills are vital for a FUSA president as he must be able to ensure other FUSA members understand and are training to meet their responsibilities and give them tangible goals they are expected to meet.”
He immediately carried that experience into Fairfield by winning the freshman class election in 2006 and was re-elected in the spring, when he defeated this year’s opponent, Thibodeau, by 43 votes.
“My best experiences at Fairfield have come through my time in FUSA and meeting many successes in my time as president of 2010,” said Seiser. “I am very proud of what I have done and feel I have served my class to the best of my ability.”
Seiser has drawn praise from his class for the work he has done in the two years as president, working with vice president Jordan Hummel ’10 and treasurer Caitlin Chipman, ’10 to create events for his classmates. He said that his best events have been the mall and movie shuttles, the spring weekend movie in the quad and the Halfway There semi-formal cruise in New York City, which will take place in March.
But organizing events will not be Seiser’s only job as FUSA president, and he realizes that he will be judged by how he handles major issues including housing, school spirit and the interaction between students, the administration and professors.
Seiser prepared for his campaign by meeting with the administration to discuss the most significant issues, thus getting a head start that will help him in his presidency. The knowledge he gained during those discussions carried over into his campaigning and the debates, when he appeared knowledgeable and ready to tackle the obstacles he would face in the future.
“Fairfield needs someone who will show the administration that we are adults,” said Seiser. “We are accountable, and our opinion should be the number one priority here.”
Seiser also plans on bringing the accomplishments of more students to the attention of the campus, while continuing to show pride in Fairfield’s athletic teams.
“I will expand Fairfield Fridays to having each Fairfield Friday honor a different group on campus,” said Seiser. “Each particular month another group would be honored, ranging from dean’s list students to actors and musicians. These honored students will have the opportunity to attend an exclusive event such as a brunch on their special day.”
Seiser said he plans to be an organizer for FUSA, to take what Williams has done already and expand it. He took the first step by winning the election, but the most difficult tasks may still lie in front of him.
Leave a Reply