The Freshman class of 2022 elected Kirby Motsinger and Marshall Marrs as their student senators in the undergraduate student government, two students who have experience in leadership as well as a passion for serving their communities. Both senators are adamant to make sure that every voice and idea from the freshmen class is heard, also aiming to address some key issues here at DU. Whether it is fostering a better environment for students to voice their opinions and ideologies without the fear of isolation, issuing a form of transparency in the financialization of DU or taking steps to improve Sodexo for students on campus, Motsinger and Marrs are firmly motivated to voice the needs of students.
Motsinger’s desire to serve on the student council as a senator derived from passions of helping students and being a voice in her communities. Motsinger’s past experience in high school as a class and student body treasurer and her experiences at leadership camps this past summer inspired her to continue to explore her leadership potential at DU.
Noticing how quickly and excited students in this year’s freshmen class are to foster a community and leave their comfort zones, Motsinger believes that the current issues that can sometimes polarize communities should be discussed in open communication and conversations. Because students are now doing a good job to build a unified community, she believes open conversations about certain topics are a good method to prevent isolation of certain students with opinions that could contradict a sometimes liberal atmosphere at DU. Motsinger states, “It’s ideal that everyone would be able to say what they want to say and have their voice heard without being ostracized for having a certain opinion.”
Similar to Motsinger, Marrs also has a passion for leadership. He has always felt the need to represent those who feel unrepresented and was inspired to run based on his desire to serve the needs of his community. Marrs reflected his passion throughout his campaign, presenting advocacy as one of its main pillars. One of Marshall’s primary ambitions is to address the lack of transparency and financialization which he feels occurs at DU. Marshall is a strong believer in students’ ability to understand how DU operates its budget. Marrs states, “That’s going to be my biggest fight. Having the budget published inside the University of Denver, so students can see how their money is being spent.”
Marrs and Motsigner are also both addressing rising issues with Sodexo, as the senators feel the nutritional needs are being cut short by the company’s limited options. The two senators are holding “Sodexo with your Senators” meetings every two weeks in halls to discuss meal options with students.
Overall, Motsinger and Marrs are two senators who primarily aim to be the voice of first year students here at DU. With their individual ideas and passions for serving their communities, students can expect frequent action and communication from both freshman senators.
