Sean McMinn
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It was a near-last-minute decision for computer engineering junior Will Blumhardt to run for Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) president — but he’s already familiar with leadership on campus.
Blumhardt, who spent the days before the filing period ended gathering signatures to run, is now putting together a campaign team to support him on his bid for president.
As an established member of New Student Programs, he’s been a Week of Welcome (WOW) leader for two years and continues to be active in both WOW and the Soar program for incoming students.
He also works as a technician at Classroom Technologies, which rents equipment to students and helps professors with technical issues.
But when it comes to experience in ASI, he’s behind the other candidates.
Blumhardt has never worked in student government at Cal Poly, but he doesn’t see that as a liability.
“I think that’s one of the things that might set me apart from some of the other candidates,” he said. “Here I am trying to run in that spotlight to represent not just one group of students on campus, but to represent those students who are maybe not in that spotlight.”
Though he initially had concerns about running for president, friends and family encouraged Blumhardt to join in the race.
Entering as the fourth presidential candidate, Blumhardt said he’s hoping the best candidate will win, even if it’s not him.
“I think everybody has their strong points,” he said. “From what I’ve read, the other three candidates seem like they’re great candidates for presidency as well.”
Per ASI campaign rules, Blumhardt declined to talk about his ideas for new policies or the issues he could face as president, but said he’s excited for the campaign ahead.
“This is something that’s definitely new to me,” he said. “But I’m excited to learn about it as we go and to see where this takes me and takes Cal Poly.”
Correction: This article previously referred to the Soar program as SOAR, when it is not an acronym. It also referred to New Student Programs as Orientation Programs. Both have since been corrected.