Sean McMinn
smcminn@mustangdaily.net
Approaching voters Tuesday, agribusiness junior Jason Colombini worked the line like a career politician. Never mind it was a hot dog line that drew his attention, or that fraternity brothers — not Secret Service — flanked him. He kept himself busy, offering to get lunch with one of the students in line, or even go on an early morning run if their afternoon schedules didn’t match up.
“If you don’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t do it,” Colombini said. “So I really enjoy being out there meeting people, sitting out on Dexter (Lawn) and talking to people.”
Colombini, with free water bottles and hot dogs in hand, was in the hunt for last-minute votes Tuesday — a position he’s grown accustomed to at Cal Poly. He’s run for elected office every year he’s been at the university, starting as Sierra Madre Hall Council president and now at the head of Interfraternity Council.
Today, he’s looking to win the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) presidency.
“Whenever a Colombini comes here, we do something to make Cal Poly a better place for present students and future students,” Colombini said in an interview before open campaigning began. “The ultimate way I can do that is through ASI president, and I’ve been building up to it since Wednesday of WoW Week my freshman year.”
Students on campus largely associated his effort with the “Call On Bini” slogan, a fact he joked about during an interview Tuesday. He said he’s heard people talking about it during class, wondering if they were supposed to vote for someone who’s last name is Bini.
A little explanation, Colombini said, typically clears the confusion — and earns a few more votes.
Colombini cites three generations of Cal Poly leadership as part of the reason he wants to be president. His grandfather was a resident adviser and Mustang Daily advertising manager and his father served on the student senate, he said.
But the elder Colombinis will not be in the crowd if Jason wins Thursday — he’s not planning a celebration at all.
“If I win on Thursday, I’d relax a little bit and be glad the campaign is finally done,” he said. “I’d probably go to the gym for the first time this quarter and get some sleep, catch up on that. I don’t think there will be any major celebration for me.”
Looking back at his campaign, Colombini said one of his favorite memories was going to the Pilipino Cultural Exchange. There, he gave his regular three-minute speech about what he would do as president, but was also asked to join in with the club’s traditional roll call, forcing him to think of a chant on the spot. Naturally, he turned to an old favorite:
“My name is Jason,” he said to the club.
“Yeah?” the members replied.
“I’m not a weenie.”
“Yeah?”
“April 24…”
“Yeah?”
“Call on Bini!”