The Associated Student Body senior class officers are responsible for choosing and fundraising for the senior gift. 

Jake Fanning, the current ASB attorney general, said although the elected officers do not have many required responsibilities, they are ultimately responsible for how much or how little they accomplish while they are in office. 

“Whoever is elected could really leave an impact, or leave a legacy, if you will, if they do take the initiative to use their platform,” Fanning said. 

Flint Christian, the current senior class president, said the most important thing for the presidential candidates to understand is to know who they are representing.

“A big part of the duties as senior class president really revolves around having a good sense of what the senior class could get excited about,” Christian said. “One of the most important things is knowing who your peers are and being in touch with them.” 

Fanning said that many of the presidential candidates’ platforms are centered around a desire to return to normalcy on campus this fall. 

“This past year has been anything but normal, and it’s been weird,” Fanning said. “I think everyone kind of desires a return to normalcy, and I think that’s what a lot of (the candidates) will talk about in the coming weeks.”

On the senior class officer election day, April 5, there will be two candidates for the 2022 senior class president, one candidate for vice president and a write-in slot for secretary and treasurer. 

Davis Judd, an accounting major from Indianapolis, is one of the candidates for senior class president. He said that as president, he would not only raise money to give the university a tangible gift, but also reunite the senior class for their last year on campus. 

“Being (from) out of state, I’ve loved meeting so many great people, especially from the class of 2022, that have made Mississippi feel like home,” Judd said. “I would be honored to serve as their class president.”

Lucy Hulet, a political science and Arabic major from Kansas City, Kansas, is also running for senior class president. She was inspired to run for the position because of the love she felt from the class of 2022 after her father passed away during her sophomore year. 

“I knew I had to do something to give back to the community that had welcomed me in from so far away with open arms, cared for me, and made me feel like I was a part of something bigger than myself,” Hulet said.

Hulet described her platform as an emphasis on three things: readiness, legacy and togetherness. She said she wants to strengthen advisor and student relationships, host speakers and events that will prepare the class of 2022 for life after college, and provide Ole Miss and the community with a senior gift that “embodies the love we’ve shared for the university during our time here.” 

Matthew Hartzog, a communication sciences and disorders major, is the sole candidate for senior class vice president. He said his platform is based on giving the senior class a voice to be heard when decisions are made, and being able to be an advocate for positive change in the areas that need it. 

“I feel that I am a great candidate for this position because I have helped fundraise for many different organizations and I want to be able to bring my skill set to fundraising for the senior class gift,” Hartzog said.