The Aquilian October 2016 Volume 79, Number 1
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821 www.theaquilian.com
19 Eye St, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Getting to Know Your SGA President Three years ago freshman Landen Buckson stepped onto campus for the first day of classes, not “nearly as social and outgoing [as he is] now…It was a weird feeling to go from a school with twenty students in the eighth grade class to having over 200 students in the freshmen class,” Landen says. “It is something that took me some time to get used to.” Landen has matured in many ways as a result of his surroundings. He credits this to “the way everyone handles themselves at Gonzaga, and I mean students, teachers, and other faculty.”
Along with being SGA President, Landen is also the co-President of Onyx. “I am very passionate about social issues concerning people of color,” says Landen. “I have tried to convey some of our struggles through my art work and I plan to bring them up this year in the Onyx club.” Landen is also very passionate about drawing and says that his favorite teacher, Mr. Tom Baker, who retired last year, motivated him to grow artistically and that Landen “cannot thank him enough for all of the support and wise words he gave me while I was his student.” As Student Body President, Landen says that he wants to “take second steps,”
and have the student government build on the work of last year’s Student Body President, Andy Carluccio, and his “year of first steps.” “Now we can accomplish tasks Andy started last year and expand upon them,” Landen says. “We will even have room to execute new ideas because so much has been laid out for us.” When asked about his goals for the SGA this year Landen said, “We are going to take a look at improving Spirit Week. We would also like the SGA to be more visible through WZAG and Canvas. We want to use those platforms so the student body understands that we are here to work for them.
I would also like to see more students advancing their interests both in and out of the classroom. Personally, I think that engaging your classmates on a personal level is just as important as academic success.” Landen is looking forward to his future after Gonzaga. He is not sure if he will continue in politics, saying: “I have thought about it every now and then, but I do not think that I would continue on to be involved in politics. Who knows, I feel that my mind could change at any time and dive into the political scene as early as I can, but for now I think I will leave future political positions alone.” Landen is getting ready
Red Cloud, p. 4
McKenna Immersion, p.5
Emmitsburg, p.5
New Faculty/Staff, p.8
By: Jack Martino ‘20 Contributor
for college and “taking in everything that I can at this point. It is about appreciating all of the experiences and memories I have made at Gonzaga, and it is about understanding what is the next step in my academic career.” Landen looks forward to a year “full of innovation that will directly benefit students while they are on Eye Street.” He also has a message for the student body: “Enjoy your school year, work your hardest during moments of discouragement, make a conscious effort to socialize with people you have never encountered, and always try to maintain a positive mindset regardless of the situation.”