MATT MCCARRY:

Can you give me a general biography? Where are you from, what year are you? What is your major?

I am from Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, which is only 20 minutes away from Villanova. I have three brothers: Jon, who is 22, Pat, who is 18 and Christian, who is 14; my family means very much to me and is one of the big reasons why I went to college close to home so that I could stay close to them. I am a junior studying Economics and Political Science.

Why did you choose to major in what you did?

I came into Villanova undecided in the College of Liberal Arts; after freshman year, I transferred into the Business school. After taking Professor Rissell’s Microeconomics class, I fell in love with Economics. I have taken her for two other classes since that class and now currently am in her HealthCare economics class, which I have really enjoyed, especially with how relevant the study of healthcare is in the United States today. She helped show me how, even though sounding simplistic, economics really is the study of how limited resources get distributed in a world of unlimited wants.

What extra-curricular and outside experiences have you participated in?

Since Freshman year I have participated in: Club Frisbee, Ruibal, as a participant for a year and as a leader for a year, Student Government as the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Class President, Commencement Committee, Special Olympics Committee, Orientation Staff, Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, Gamma Kappa Alpha Italian National Honors Society, Sophomore Learning Community, Back On My Feet, Community Outreach of Villanova, Three Service and Justice Experiences, a participant on two to Marion, SC and Morgantown, WV and leading one to Mobile, AL, and the Leadership Learning Community.

However, in preparation for the possibility of the position of Student Body President, I have narrowed my focus on Student Government and Back On My Feet to make sure that, if voted in, I can make the student body priority #1.

I have also worked at The University of Pennsylvania at a think tank run by the university. I volunteered at the Democratic National Convention and spent time working on the floor of the event. I worked in my mayor’s office for a summer in Cape May Point, NJ. Also, last fall, I worked as the assistant campaign manager for a candidate running for the State Senate in Pennsylvania.

Can you give a brief summary of your platform and the main focal points?

The theme for our campaign is The First 30 Days; we want there to be action starting day one. Will and I want to be able to send the student body an email on April 30th outlining all that we have done from the day we start on April 1st to better the lives of the student body. We also want to be held accountable if we are not doing our job because we are responsible to the students.

On our first day in office, we want to send an email to whole school about our first action in office: Repainting the mural on South Campus, under the train tracks, with the theme “One Nova.” We want to open it up to the student body regarding what this mural should look like, to set the tone for the rest of our time in office regarding our commitment to inclusivity.

Additionally, we want to provide SGA sponsored buses to all of the basketball games next year because of the fact that there will no longer be the luxury of the proximity of the Pavilion; we do not want students to have to, say on a Wednesday, take the 45 minute train to 30th street station, then have to walk 25 minutes to the Palestra or take the Subway to Wells Fargo, when they could simply get the buses right from ‘Nova to the game and back after. Also, we think that there should be the option to takeout food from the all you can eat dining halls on campus, such as the Pit or the Spit; when you walk in you should be able to swipe in and eat there, as is currently done, but also if you want the food there but do not have the time to eat, you should be given a takeout container that can hold one meal’s equivalence of food to be able to take with you on-the-go.

We think that there should be more printers in dorms; for example, there are 1700 freshman, yet only one printer on South Campus, which is in the Spit. Will and I think that there should be a few more in dorms to dissipate the demand on that one printer, especially because when that one breaks down the freshman are forced to go to the library. We want to do this across campus. Also, we want to get a tracker for the on and off campus shuttle so that student no longer will feel the uncertainty of its timeliness.

What do the Augustinian and Villanova values of Unitas, Caritas and Veritas mean to you?

When people have ask me what I love most about Villanova, I always say that it is the people here that have made my experience what it has been; the people here care about world issues and work towards a better world- these are the people that I seek to surround myself with because I too work every day for a more loving and empathetic world. The University’s values of Unitas, Veritas and Caritas have shown me the importance of treating others as human; regardless of difference, with how easy it is to find apparent differences, these values have shown me that what links us all together is our fundamental human element and our common desire to be loved and to feel known. Since the beginning of my sophomore year, I have been involved in an organization called Back On My Feet where we run every Friday morning at 5:30AM in West Philly with individuals on the verge of homelessness. This has been the most humbling experience of my entire life; this is just one example where I have seen Unitas, Veritas and Caritas being lived out in the Villanova community.

How do you plan on accurately representing all students on campus?

Our action steps for this include: a visible suggestion box in Connelly where students can put in any suggestion that they have, along with their contact information, if they choose, so that we can let them know that day that we received their concern and then we can contact them 1) regarding its feasibility, 2) the progress of their claim, and lastly 3) the results. We can also setup a meeting if requested through this box. Additionally, we want to send out polls to the campus regarding specific specific issues because we, as representatives of the students, only truly know the opinions of the students if we talk to them all; we think that this would be an effective way to gauge the climate of the student body. Lastly, we want to hold weekly office hours in Connelly so that we are in a visible location where the students can meet with their representatives.

Outside of SGA who are you in the context of Villanova?

I am the student that will smile at you, even if you are a complete stranger; I am the student that actively seeks to find ways to give of myself to better the lives of those around me. For those that know me, they know how much I care about people and how I truly live to serve. I have been extremely blessed to have been given the life that I have and I live everyday trying to make the world a more loving place.

WILL BYRNE:

Can you give me a general biography? Where are you from, what year are you? What is your major?

I’m the third eldest of ten children from McLean, Virginia. I have seven sisters and two brothers. I am in my third year majoring in Economics. I am a Captain of the Villanova Men’s Golf Team, and everyone in my family who has entered or completed college have all played a Division 1 sport.

Why did you choose to major in what you did?

I don’t know if I could say that I loved the material that i was learning, but I loved the way it has made me think. I came into Villanova undecided and took a couple intro economics classes my freshman year, and i loved the way that I was forced to analyze and understand. Economic theory and economics are the basis for financial markets, and I felt that by having an economics background i could understand what makes the global economy work. 

What extra-curricular and outside experiences have you participated in?

As previously mentioned, I am a member of the Golf Team. I am a representative of SAAC, which stands for Student Athlete Advisory Council. I am currently the Executive Treasurer for the SGA. I have spent the last three summers volunteering with the Little Workers of the Sacred Heart in Washington D.C. Additionally, I have volunteered with Catholic Charities Medical Clinic in Washington DC. I will spend this upcoming summer working with the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington providing pro bono Financial Services to those who can’t afford it. I will also be working for Alvarez and Marsal this summer in the Financial Services Transaction Advisory Sector.

What do the Augustinian and Villanova values of Unitas, Caritas and Veritas mean to you?

I strongly believe in the mission of this university. It is Matt and I’s goal to unite the entire student body  and create a true sense of community around campus. Villanova has given so much to the two us, and we want to share all of the love and respect we have received with the rest of the student body.

Outside of SGA, who are you in the context of Villanova?

I am very lighthearted, and I never take anything too seriously. I know how fortunate I am to have been given the family and life that I live, so I have an extremely positive outlook on life. I am an extremely loyal, hard working individual, and I am extremely invested in Villanova Athletics. I work as hard in the classroom as I do on the golf course. I am deeply rooted in my catholic values. I try to attend daily mass in Corr Hall two to three times a week. I am extremely fortunate for all that Villanova has given me.

Why did you accept the position on the ticket?

I have had the pleasure of working with Matt the last two and a half years. I have witnessed, first hand, all the blood, sweat and tears that he has given towards ensuring every student has equal representation and makes the most of their four years on campus. He cares so much, and you can see it in his smile. He is such a great role model, and he is someone that I Iook up to and enjoy working with every day that I would have been foolish to turn down his offer to run with him. Matt is the most qualified candidate for the position, and I was honored to accept when he offered.