Andy Gainer / Joshua Ray
Students of discipline seek to help students help each other

Andy Gainer
Presidential candidate
Major: Political science
Occupation: Private security
Leadership experience: Manager of martial arts schools
Favorite instructor: Janet Campbell, political science instructor at MHCC		 Joshua Ray
Vice presidential candidate
Major: Entrepreneurship
Occupation: Student
Leadership experience: Student senator of community outreach
Compares leadership to: Winston Churchill

The battle-ready pair of presidential candidate Andy Gainer and vice presidential candidate Joshua Ray say their training in dojos and barracks have given them the leadership and the insight to be the next leaders of MHCC’s student government.

A martial artists and an Army veteran, respectively, Gainer and Ray say their plan for ASG is to strengthen the connection between students who both need and can offer help.

“We want ASG to promote students-helping-students type programs,” said Gainer, adding that existing programs such as Barney’s Pantry and Book Consignment are examples of the services they want to help students provide. “If I am elected, I would like to expand (Book Consignment), potentially create a web-based environment for peer-to-peer exchanges between the students.”

In helping students, Ray says much of what he hopes to accomplish, and what piqued his interest in student government to begin with, is in assisting fellow veterans in finding financial aid for school, healthcare and transitioning to civilian life.

“I want to branch out and serve not just the veterans on this campus but the entire student body as a whole,” said Ray, who credits veteran representative Jerri Ellis with helping him start his higher education career.

In addition to facilitating public services, the pair acknowledged the importance of a strong presence in Salem for the coming legislative year.

“We should first fund our lobbyists since 80 percent of our funding comes from Salem,” said Gainer.

And he added that an estimated $771,500 in student fee money is what should encourage those attending MHCC to vote in the coming election, stating it is the primary responsibility of ASG to manage the student fee budget.

“Voting is the first step toward having a say as to where that money is spent,” said Gainer.