My name is Hope Kasper and I serve as a representative on the Middletown Common Council. I want to share with the Wesleyan students what I know about Mike Pernick ’10, a candidate for President of the Wesleyan Student Assembly (WSA). Mike has exhibited an exceptional commitment to the civic duty owed by University students to the community of Middletown, which they are all a part of. He is a true citizen-student, and Middletown and the University should embrace that together by supporting his candidacy for the WSA.
A major political issue here in Middletown has been the proposed Army base on Freeman Road in Maromas. I voted in support of a resolution in opposition to the Army base site, which passed unanimously. Mayor of Middletown Sebastian Giuliano came out against the selected site for the base. The Middletown community was in an uproar over the issue. Despite all of this controversy, the University student body was silent—until Mike got involved. He worked with the mayor, the common council, local environmental groups and the Army and organized an event at the University to tackle the issue. Then, he went on to sponsor a resolution in the WSA calling on the Army to choose a new site, which passed unanimously. Mike took the lead on this key issue and, more importantly, he actively engaged the community in a controversial topic—even though it might have been easier for the students to keep silent.
I feel very strongly that the Middletown community and the University student body can and should form much closer ties. Mike Pernick’s leadership on the Army base issue showed that he has what it takes to foster a stronger relationship with the Middletown community. In all my experience, I’ve never seen the student body engage a local Middletown issue like this until now. Mike is a visionary leader, and I hope to work with him next year. That’s why I urge you to vote for Mike Pernick for President of the WSA.
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