Leadership is often thought of as a uniquely individual characteristic. While this is true to some extent, I am a big believer that leadership in large organizations requires teamwork by senior management. For this reason, I plan to vote for Peter Petrin for student body president and Nick Naraghi for executive vice president (EVP) in the current ongoing student body elections.

Each one has very positive leadership qualities, and I believe they have the ability to work well together to accomplish great things at Northeastern. In short, I think that with Peter and Nick, the whole will be even better than the sum of their parts.

On one hand, Chris LaColla’s campaign suggests a vision involving major reconstruction of the system, and Terry MacCormack’s seems very status quo. While both of them have some surface appeal, they strike me as somewhat grandiose, like many campaign promises. On the other hand, when I look at Peter and Nick’s campaign, I see a finely tuned machine in which each part plays a significant role in accomplishing realistic and meaningful improvements.

What we all have in common is that we made a decision to attend Northeastern because we thought this was the best available opportunity for us. In my mind, proposing wholesale changes to the system is not only unrealistic; it is not what most students want. Peter and Nick’s purpose is to put into place a team that will effectively address important issues that will improve the overall experience here. Some of the most compelling thoughts I heard in my interview with Peter on WRBB 104.9 are the communication between students and organizations as well as the advocacy the student must pursue through the encouragement of the organization.

If you watched closely it’s not hard to recognize the tireless efforts of each individual on this team. Comprised of more than just two members it is a slew of students like you and I who want the same thing – an accessible and enjoyable way to get an education under a strong organization. If won, this machine will be perpetual and leave an important mark on the university through hard work and dedication. This is why I fully endorse Peter Petrin and Nick Naraghi. More importantly, I support their team because they endorse you.

– Ben Gass is a fourth-year music industry major and the host of “The Gas Station” on WRBB